Inuyasha's unknown heritage: yes boring title
by Dreambraider
Summary: Rated R for lemonesq. Inuyasha has a very powerful relative that has come to teach the group to beat Naraku.
1. Linas quest

Disclaimer: yes I know I don't own inuyasha, but it's never bad to dream. I own all the characters you don't know, and this is my first time, be gentle.  
  
~@ Warning also, flames will be iggied and shot on sight. I like creative critiacism, but all out hate mail will get you nowhere. Oh and one more thing, I'll try to update every day or so. I don't know how long this story is really going to be, I've had the idea for a while now and am just going to let it flow. Might revise chapters as I go, this is a work in progress. I also am a lousy speller even with spell check, some of the words I will use for the different clothing and such might be wrong also, I have a limited base of foreign words in my head and must research words. Any help with stuff like the shiko no tama and lots of repeated words would be helpful; those mainly used routinely in the inuyasha saga would be even more appreciated.  
  
Additional.. Please read "The premonition" it is the prequel to this story and is a one shot. Thanks.  
  
Legend= *~ .. ~* beginning and end of a flashback  
  
+ .. + character thought, if I can remember to use it  
Inuyasha's unknown heritage  
  
Chapter 1) Lina's quest  
  
As she came out of the tunnel burrowed into the side of a mountain she had spent the last day casually walking through, Lina looked over the varying shades of green in the valley before her, with a sense of nostalgia. Her waist length chestnut locks drifting in the wind, and her storm cloud blue eyes squinting in the sunlight, her cat like pupils retracting, she remembered the first time she had looked out upon this vista of valleys and trees as the sun rose from the east majestically.  
*~ "Mommy, are we going to make a home here this time?" the little youkai boy asked grabbing onto her leg, not even passing her kneecap, his little turquoise eyes peering up at her inquiringly. "Yes, little Tamen your daddy will be meeting us at a little village not far from here, and we will be settling down here awhile." Lina's eyes gazed affectionately at the little one, petting his white hair gently. Picking the little boy up she whispered into his small pointed ear, "But we have to be fast about it, remember, daddy and mommy move very fast. Someday you will be as fast as mommy and daddy too little Tamen." then blowing in his ear, hearing the giggle it produced. She looked up and in the distance glimpsed her lifemate streaking from the other side of the green valley towards them gliding across the tree line. Lina smiled to herself and experienced her lifmates chuckle, pouring a feeling of love through her head. ~*  
  
Sighing Lina rested her shoulder against a bolder at the side of the tunnel and smiled gently. Lifting her head Lina let her rather pointy ears rotate at the side of her head listening, the tops of them poking out of her head and slowly swiveling back and forth while standing a good half- inch above her head. She sniffed a little and sent out a subsonic pulse of energy down and into the ground. Almost immediately several small puffs of pink and blue energy could be seen above the tree line. The colors differing at the strength of the youki the energy passed through. Straightening her clothing of forest green peasant shirt and leggings, she checked her moccasins for wear; her pack slung about her and her other secret item, then remembered her objective here and laughed with a husky purr. She had promised Joseph her lifemate that she would be back in a few months, that she was just coming to see her great, great, great, great grand children in this area if she could locate them, and basically cause mischief.  
  
Joseph with his wonderful golden chocolate eyes had laughed at her and pushing his coal black curly shoulder length hair back over his pointed ears, told her on no uncertain terms that if she encountered anything she couldn't handle to call him through their soul link. But since she was VERY old and could take care of herself, she had let the look of heat and warning go unheeded as she left their home. She knew that after less than a week, she would usually be experiencing the loving glide of his power, speeding her way from across the sea. Only to blink up at him with feigned surprise when he scared the living crap out of the villagers in whatever town she was in, when he seemed to materialize at her side out of nowhere. Sometimes her lifemate made her wonder about men in general, but after nearly a literal few million years of their life together, she had resigned herself to the fact that the male species was and would always be strange and unusual to her.  
  
Although being from an originally different dimension entirely, she liked the fact she could torture her lifemate for so long in this plane, seeing as though she wouldn't have lived even a quarter of this life on her home world. So with a sending of a few naughty thoughts, through their link, and some soft laughter at the response. She casually and slowly, brought out what her husband thought of as a curse and a reminder of their otherworldly past. Thinking the whole time of the mischief part of her personal mission and caressing her treasure reverently, she placed it on the belt she had made especially for it. Waiting for her favorite CD spin in the solar powered obsidian black CD player, the sound of it winding up letting her prepare to spring forward.  
(Thought it would be something sinister didn't ya? =^0^=)  
  
At the first strains of *falling for the first time by the barenaked ladies* Lina was off like a shot. So fast was she that with a few leaps she was running along the tree line like it was a carpet. A little more speed and she felt the first stirrings of the sonic boom echoing behind her. She smelled around with her exceptional nose and put out another strong pulse of subsonic energy, this time one that would only plume if it hit one of her line, she sensed two in the general vicinity and zoomed off. Remembering what she had heard about her grand sons from a few old friends in the area that still lived and had chuckling gave her the information on, she grinned evilly, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were in for a realllly big surprise when she showed up. 


	2. Boom, Questions and a trick at the end

Disclaimer: No I don't own Inuyasha. I wish, I wish, I wish, but I also wish about the lottery. So oh well. Read and review nicely please. I know it isn't very long. But I can only seem to keep up any scene for about 3 pages at a time it seems.  
  
  
  
Chapter 2) Boom, Questions, and A trick at the end.  
  
Not far from Kaede's village. Near a winding stream. ~ Inuyasha, and Kagome were coming back from a successful shard hunt and were feeling exceptionally good towards one another. Smiling, Kagome was riding her bike casually with her huge yellow pack strapped on the back. Inuyasha lazily striding beside her, yet still alert when she stopped and went all wide eyed. Curious Inuyasha looked back at her expression and pondered the weird sound that seemed to be increasing in volume and the oddly foreign youkai streaming through the forest. "What is it Kagome?" Inuyasha asked with a puzzled look on his face. Seconds later a rather large force pushed him back and even more puzzling, he felt wisps of something like smoke wafting up from him. In shock Kagome watched as smoky whisps of red energy pulsed up from Inuyasha and drifted up into the sky, disappearing just above the trees, after a few moments this stopped. Realizing Inuyasha wasn't being harmed and getting edgy and worried, she was even more shocked with the sudden recognition of what that sound was. She had heard enough times the jets going over her home and that sound so often to not recognize a sonic boom when she heard it.  
  
Looking about she watched Inuyasha get into a protective position near her as she got off the bike.  
  
So suddenly that they had no time to react, a wind blew by them and a sonic boom echoed as the wind whipped around them. Suddenly in a whirl of dust at least 3 yards away a figure appeared and the strains of an unidentifiable song wafted toward them. The figure grinned in a smile shockingly like inuyasha's and pushed a button on the little device at its hip that Kagome recognized as a weird CD player.  
  
Inuyasha coming back to himself pulled out tetsusaiga, transforming it as he did so, standing in front of Kagome and bringing the sword up. "Who are you and what do you want?" Inuyasha growled at the newcomer, focusing his ears and full attention on her. Flipping her hair out of the way, the newcomer walked up to almost the point of the tetsusaiga, she seemed to sniff a little, as Inuyasha's growls got worse the closer she got. Suddenly with a curious light in her strange blue eyes she asked, "Are you the son of the once ruler of the Western lands here?"  
  
"Yeah, what of it?" Inuyasha barked back suspiciously, widening his stance.  
  
  
  
Suddenly an even wider grin passed over the new youkai's face. She sniffed a little more and grinned like she would break something, a mischievous light lighting her eyes. Curious Inuyasha sniffed back and got a real shock. She smelled of his father's blood, of his linage, but to his knowledge there was only he and his brother. This really puzzled him. A look of almost motherly affection passed over the youki's face at the return sniff. Suddenly she then seemed to focus, and turn to the side.  
  
"By the way," she said looking behind Inuyasha at Kagome,"you can call me Lina." Sticking out her hand cautiously because of Inuyasha's tenseness, she faced Kagome. Slightly shocked at the newer western offer of a handshake, Kagome came around Inuyasha slowely and briefly to shake the hand offered. "My name is Kagome and this overprotective one is Inuyasha," Kagome said playing the part of the peacemaker.  
  
Smiling briefly and smiling just as wide as she met the suspicious glare of Inuyasha she replied, "Nice to meet you Kagome, I already have heard of Inuyasha though." Kagome accepted this and Inuyasha's eye glinted warningly.  
  
"By the way," said Lina, "would it trouble you much if I tagged along with you?" With a surprised look from Kagome and a suspicious one from Inuyasha, Lina continued to wait for the question that she knew would sooner or later simmer up from Inuyasha. With a questioning look and flattening of his ears Inuyasha finally asked it after a tense silence. "Why do you smell like my father?"  
  
Sighing a little and straightening herself, Lina stared directly at Inuyasha with her storm cloud blue eyes and delivered a shocking revelation. "Inuyasha." She said with frank authority, surprising him with the suddenness of it. "I am your great, great, great, great, ect. Great grandmother and I am here to visit. Also I am here to teach you some things I know have been left out of your education and to carry out a promise I made to your father about you and your brother."  
  
Suddenly Inuyasha and Kagome's jaws seemed to drop, after a tense few moments, and a look of disbelief, Inuyasha made a response Lina was waiting for. "Yeah right, and I'm supposed to believe you. Feh." Chuckling outright at this response and wiping a tear from her eye Lina replied, "Ah. I expected that. So much like your father, but if I must I will prove it."  
  
Looking straight at Inuyasha and with a look of infinite patience, Lina started to speak. "I know you do not believe me and I know there is little you remember about what was once your home, but I made sure that there was a way if I ever had to prove my identity to my family." Looking at Inuyasha with a strange fire and a pointed look she continued, " If you remember the origin legend of your family you will know of what I speak. "  
  
With a sudden thoughtful look and hard concentration, Inuyasha tried to remember the legends of his family, while keeping an eye on the intruder. So many legends had been passed down through his family and his father made sure his wife knew all of them. One was told to her and then the little Inuyasha more than any, that being the origin story. His father had seemed to almost cringe thinking about the story at times, when he told it to little Inuyasha as a bedtime story.  
  
  
  
* ~ Little Inuyasha is resting in a small bed getting ready to sleep. His royal blue dog pattered comforter plush and inviting to the little pup as he waited for his favorite bedtime story to be told to him by his father. The comfortable chair at his bedside creaked as the Inuyouki sat down and with a look of affection and pained acceptance as he started telling the story Inuyasha asked most for. Since it was the first of a tale of stories that had been told many times, the Inuyoukai was very versed in the telling by now. "Once upon a time, long, long, long ago. A small family came to this land from another far away land. There was a mother and father and a little pup with amazing powers, and they settled into a large valley with many problems that they wanted to help the people here solve. They made a beautiful castle their home and helped many villages prosper, the father was very strong, killed all the mean and evil youki in the area and made the land peaceful, and many enimies. The mother had amazing powers as well and created a crystal ball to repel all evil from the land and held the power of immense good and purity. Their son grew up and became a great warrior to the land and soon the family had the respect and loyalty of all the youki and all the humans of this land. So many respected the family that they were declared the rulers of the western lands, which is were we live today. One day though the mother's crystal ball cracked and blew apart due to an evil so bad that the crystal had problems containing it and the evil escaped from the land after a fierce battle, but swore to get revenge. Most of the shards were sucked up into the good of the land or were dispersed into nothingness, but the mother kept the center crystal of the ball and two shards, in case anything ever happened to the land and to protect her people. Also for the good of the land one crystal was given to the son to protect him but he was of a pure heart and it became a part of him, strengthening his power. While one other shard was made into a powerful jewel with much purity, to protect the humans of this land. The jewel still exists to this day, although it has changed forms many times, and the part of the crystal in the son kept the line pure and true, protecting the land from any turmoil. Every generation now carries a shard inside of them, you and I carry one my son. Laughing at the question he knew was once again coming, "Yes, your brother too." With a sudden affectionate look the Inuyouki also said, "One day you will know what I mean, and you will see for yourself." Gazing up at his father Inuyasha finally asked, like every time before, "What happened to them though?" Laughing, the Inuyouki continued, "Well, the mommy and daddy left one day. Their son was grown up and had a family of his own. Since the mommy and daddy had other homes and liked to explore, and were very old, they left and traveled the world but always returned to see their child. Their son for some reason did not live as long as his parents and after a time though they came back to see their children's children, and so on, every once in awhile they keep coming back. They are very special youki and their powers let them live a reallllly long time." "Even longer than you papa?" Inuyasha questioned wide-eyed. "Sadly yes little one." The Inuyouki replied with a sad look. "Have you met them papa?" Inuyasha continued. "Yes I have. They are really smart and can teach you lots. I met them a really long time ago and helped me become really strong. They can help you too." The Inuyouki said as he pushed a finger against Inuyasha's little nose. Laughing as Inuyasha cross-eyed as he did so. "Go to sleep now. I'll tell you about their adventures tomarrow" "Ok papa!!!" Little Inuyasha said hastely snuggling down in bed, in a hurry to hear tomorrows story. ~*  
  
  
  
Suddenly realization triggered in Inuyasha's gaze as he came back from his memories. He watched dazedly as Lina brought out a pink crystal shard from her pack, that seemed to rotate on its own on her fingertip and sparkle with iridescent light. Lina's eyes seemed to light up with a green fire as the crystal rotated faster and faster. Light spilling out of it, as her gaze shifted to the front of Inuyasha's kimono. There shining brightly over his heart was a circle of light that seemed to luminate with the shard. To Kagome's horror though, so did the shards of the Shiko no tama.  
  
"Now do you believe me Inuyasha?" Lina asked as the pink shard stopped on her fingertip, her eyes became the stormy blue again and she put the crystal back into her bag. "Yes," Inuyasha said with wide-eyed wonder. This being the ancestor of his bedtime stories and then suddenly he thought of something else. "Is the shiko no tama the jewel of the legend?" "Yes." Lina answered. "The jewel has been destroyed and remade many, many times. The shiko no tama is one of its resurrected predecessors and thus under my control." Holding up her hand Lina silenced the questions she knew were bubbling to the surface of Inuyasha and Kagome. "Please might we go to the village I know you currently reside in? I will answer all your questions there and would like to meet your friends I have heard so much of." Lina said with a look of amusement. She also added with a look of amusement, "Would you mind putting down the sword too?"  
  
"Oh," Inuyasha said. Seeming to come back to himself he sheathed the tetsusaiga. With a look of new determination and questions shimmering in his head he turned to Kagome and then to Lina. "Lets get going." Amusement seemed to wash over Lina's face for a moment as she suddenly suggested something from her frozen position, "I think I know of a faster way to your village." Questioningly she asked, "Is the god tree still near the village?" "Yes," Inuyasha answered, not really liking the feeling he was getting. "Then there is a way, I will show you when we get there, that we may travel faster." With a calming breath and a look of concentration, Lina directed Inuyasha and Kagome to either side of her. After some resistance, Lina explained, "What I am about to do is called "Instant transmission". It is a very fast way to travel long distances. By focusing on a life force you may go to the location of that life force almost instantly. Now I want you to each touch one of my arms and do not let go." With a pointed look at Inuyasha, Lina once again closed her eyes and warned quickly, "You might be a little disoriented when we get there and If you let go you will either be staying here or will only be part-way there when I'm done, and no that does not mean only half of you will get there. I mean you will be halfway to whatever point we are going to." She pointedly looked at Inuyasha, who had opened his mouth to protest heatedly at the thought of parts of him or Kagome being left throughout the forest between here and the god tree. With a sudden quirk of Lina's lips and a concentrated scowl. All 3 of them winked out of sight from the stream, taking the bike and pack with them. 


	3. The meeting and the race

Disclaimer: No I don't own Inuyasha. Although if I could somehow make my husband have puppy ears. I wouldn't have too. I like his curly hair too much I think. ^^  
  
Note: I have seriously changed some things with the last 2 chapters so you might re read them. I changed the story line only a little though and made a legend. I'm sorry I didn't update like I wanted, but no power no computer. So. on with the show.  
  
  
  
Chapter 3) The meeting and the race  
  
  
  
Miroku was leisurely making a rut in the ground outside Kaede's hut with his staff, out of boredom. He had been waiting for Kagome and Inuyasha to return for 3 days of endless waiting while Kaede was off in another village helping the sick. Sango had gone to another seperate village to help with a youki who was downright ugly from all descriptions, and also to get away from Miroku's shows of affection. Miroku rubbed the back of his head in recollection of the last affectionate pat Sango had given him right before she left. It was still smarting and Sango was now back as of an hour ago. Valiantly hiding and watching Shippo play with the other children. Leaving him alone to wait, and wait, and wait.  
  
Sighing Miroku looked up as he felt Kagome approaching from the direction of the god tree. Followed closely by Inuyasha and a third figure.  
  
Upon closer inspection he found that he really liked their new companion. She was a curvy youki all in green, with wavy long chestnut brown hair that seemed to lovingly caress her backside, which wasn't bad either. Her unusual ears caught his attention next; he had never seen a youki with such tall pointed ears before. Nor ones that seemed to move on their head as if scanning the area. Her eyes were particularly captivating. Were they blue or gray? He couldn't quite decide, and what was up with the strange clothing? Was she from Kagome's time? He also didn't recognize her footwear. What were they made of and why all the beads? Caught at his appraisal, the youki just looked at him with a frank gleam and made a rather cursory appraisal back. Seemingly giving him tit for tat. Then smiling largely as Inuyasha came up and bopped Miroku over the head with an annoyed look and further widening her smile when he announced for him to not even think about touching his grandmother.  
  
Miroku seemed to daze for a moment and then come back to himself as Lina not offended in the least of the appraisal warned him outright as she now stood in front of the swirly eyed monk. "I've heard much about you Miroku and like what I've heard, but just remember to look and not touch or my lifemate will probably forever solve your "bear your child" question for all time." Seeing the cringe from Miroku and Inuyasha alike Lina faced Kagome and puzzled the recognition she had seen in her eyes upon looking at the CD player.  
  
But before she had a chance to ask about it, Miroku now aware, was asking Inuyasha about how she could possibly be his grandmother. Several minutes later and arguments past they were all sitting comfortably around Kaede's fire with everyone now present and introductions done and explained. Lina came back to her question.  
  
"Kagome? How come you haven't asked about the device on my hip? Neither you or Inuyasha seemed to be afraid like most who see it working?" An almost panicky look crossed Kagome's face, but before she could answer Lina asked another question. "Where did you get the bike anyway? I don't remember that they were invented yet." With this statement and the puzzled look on Lina's face. Kagome and Inuyasha shared a look and she decided to just tell the truth. "I'm from the future. There is a well not far from here that I travel to here through." Kagome stated bluntly. "It has something to do with the Shikon doesn't it?" Lina asked out of the blue. Rather shocked by this assessment Kagome asked the all-important question, "How did you know?"  
  
Sighing Lina looked at Kagome and away. Sighing again heavier, Lina replied," Because I am from the future as well and even though it is from another earth. It affects the jewel and the holder of it. The jewel was made a few hundred thousand years ago, but if anything happens to the jewel it starts to take its power from my time period, which is about 500+ years from present time.  
  
  
  
(I'm using the context that the series started in 97. I think. Correct me if I'm wrong, and weaving 2 years onto that. So for Kagome it is 99 her time. And just so you know.. The world Lina is from will be a little more technologically advanced than us. So solar power is better used there and I might borrow more DBZ gadgetry later.)  
  
  
  
"Did anything happen to the jewel?" Lina asked giving the group an inquisitive look before continuing with her questions and thoughts. "Maybe fire, impacts of any real force would do it to. Humm .even extreme pressure would force it to draw power." With a sick look and lowered ears, Inuyasha answered the thoughtful Lina, "It was burned with the last holder of the jewel." Inuyasha suddenly looked sad. Thinking about the day Kikyo died and suddenly felt guilty.  
  
Lina noticing the feeling of pain, looked up. She had yet to tell Inuyasha, but any of her line was able to use some form of telepathy. Since Inuyasha was unaware of this, he was broadcasting loud and clear what was wrong. Saddened by the tragedy that still plagued her grandson, she peeked into Inuyasha's memories and found a solution to his problem. Although it had been a few centuries since she had last used the master crystal. She was positive that if she wanted to, she could summon all the shards to her in a mater of moments. Naraku would also be pulled to her along with any youki holding one. Most would just come out upon hitting the barrier Lina knew she would have to construct for the purpose of the summoning. Also destroying Naraku shouldn't be that hard once the jewel was merged and he was incased in his own personal barrier. Holding one as lowly as Naraku was child's play to Lina. Purifying the jewel would be up to Kagome or her and that was never hard. It would solve so many problems and so many sorrows. It only took focus and a little determination, along with everyone not freaking out at her choice of music to focus with. The only problem would be their consent and from the memories she had seen, significant approval from Sango, since Lina knew a way to keep her brother alive through this even as she removed his shard. Her only problem was Kikyo, and then another thought made her pause. Just how can a dammed soul be reincarnated? (from what I've read so far from others, her soul went to hell. If I'm wrong please correct me.) She made a mental note to herself to ask the spirit well later, if it had not been destroyed since she was last here, for Inuyasha's sake and to ask Inuyasha about it. Although if he was anything like his father he would deny even having feelings.  
  
Looking up Lina rose up and looked at Inuyasha who seemed to be getting restless. "Inuyasha? Do you think you would be up to a little race?" Startled Inuyasha looked at his grandmother assessing before getting a cocky grin. "Sure." A look of pure evil flitted across Lina's face so fast Inuyasha thought he had imagined it. He got a bad feeling about that imagined look.  
  
Lina, who had already moved to the doorway, stopped and turned to the group before saying. "Just so you know now. I am not going to answer any questions about your linage until tomorrow Inuyasha. I go after your brother tomorrow and may have to force him to come, but I will answer both your questions then." This said Lina went outside and scanned the horizon. Feeling Inuyasha come up behind her. Lina shouted out to the other four coming out of the hut. "Kagome. You get to be the official start and stop line." Looking out again, Lina chose a small mountain of a hill in the distance that couldn't be more than an hours walk from the village. On top of it was a sakura tree that looked perfect for a turn around place. Looking back at Kagome who seemed to light up with an inner fire at the prospect of a little fun, Lina couldn't help but admire Inuyasha's subconscious choice for a lifemate. Lina knew that even though Inuyasha would probably deny it venomously and feel guilty until this mess was resolved, he still had claimed Kagome as his and only his. Looking over them Lina took Kagome's hand and placed her in the dirt track in front of the hut, where she wanted her and told her firmly to "Stay put" because she explained, we don't want a moving finish line. Looking over at the other three she called to them to go back to Kaede's porch so they would be out of the way and so they could have a clear view of the area in which her and Inuyasha were to race.  
  
Looking again towards Inuyasha who seemed to be just as cocky as before and resting against a tree not far from them, waiting for his grandmother to finish her tasks. "Are you up to this Inuyasha?" Lina teasingly asked the hanyo. "Where is the mid point?" he asked intrigued at a chance to really race someone who would be able to keep up with him. Seeing the look of anticipation on her grandson's face, Lina decided to make a wager, since she knew she was much faster than Inuyasha, it would be up to the wager whether she let him win or lose. Thinking hard and coming up with the perfect item, she rummaged in her bag for a bit and came out with one of her favorite items. Recalling how many times she had used it on her hapless lifemate, Lina giggled outright. In her palm was a small pendant neck lass, the pendant shifted in the shape of an earth, it even seemed to rotate with clouds shifting across the surface. Knowing the power that made the pendant look so beguiling, she also thought of the truth spell imbedded into the whole chain and pendant. Upon a chosen word from the wielder, the necklace would stay latched and secure on the wearers neck. Also whenever the wielder wished it, the necklace would make the wearer only tell the truth. No lie could be told or thought while it was activated and another thought would deactivate it. For a moment Lina wondered whether to throw in the subduing bracelet also in her bag, but thought to save it for later. After deciding on this Lina wuffed lightly to catch Inuyasha's attention. He looked at her questioningly as moved to the other side of Kagome as they were readying for the race. Since Lina knew Kagome would be extremely mad about the wager, she chose this moment to inform Inuyasha about his telepathic heritage by speaking to him in his mind.  
  
+Inuyasha! + Lina thought loudly  
  
"What." Inuyasha replied loudly, sounding irritated. Earning a puzzled look from everyone else he looked over again.  
  
+I'm talking to you in your mind dummy. Please think before replying to that though. Think out your reply and I will hear you. I have a wager for this race and I think you will be interested in what you win. I await your response. + Lina sent.  
  
After a puzzled look from Inuyasha her way, he paused in his stretching and looked thoughtful before Lina heard him.  
  
+Can you hear me? Sure I'll wager. What's the prize+ Inuyasha sent. Pleased by this, Lina smiled at him.  
  
Inuyasha catching this and knowing she heard looked up at Kagome briefly and looked back at Lina with a cunning grin. Knowing he could speak to someone now without fear of interruption or being "Sat" by Kagome. Lina sent all the information about the pendent to Inuyash. As he received the information his grin grew and grew. With a shake of his head he consented to the prize.  
  
+Now what do you want If you win? + Inuyasha asked cautiously.  
  
Knowing exactly what she wanted Lina smiled. Even though she knew he would win. Lowering her eyes she got a thoughtful look on her face even though she already knew her answer and pondered a way to get Inuyasha and Kagome together while letting Kagome and Inuyasha feel as though they had some control about them.  
  
Lina thought it was somewhat unfair to have only Kagome with a power to wield against her grandson. Sure he was gruff sometimes, but Kagome needed to loosen up about some things and explain to her about the word reference Inuyasha used on her. She knew Kagome took the term "bitch" the wrong way a lot, even though in the dog demon culture it was the same as saying girl or woman. But she understood the slang too. Deciding to set them both down and hammer some of their misunderstandings out, Lina decided it was time to reply to Inuyasha's question, since he seemed to be getting edgier with each passing moment.  
  
+You have to promise me to not loose your temper for a whole 3 weeks. I will be teaching you some different techniques that will require the use of a cool head to accomplish them. Also you need to learn control. + Lina sent. Upon receiving this Inuyasha sent her a puzzled frown and shook his head in consent.  
  
Since Lina had mentioned training and control, she knew that even if she didn't win, that he would strive for control the entire time she was training him. Putting out a thought she blocked immediately about the fact that Inuyasha's brother would be learning at the same time. Just In case she had awakened Inuyasha's telepathy by using it and there was no telling how strong it ran in him. His mother being a powerful miko would help him in that department. Since it was little known that Inuyasha's mother had power outside the family, Lina decided to tell him later about it.  
  
"You ready Inuyasha?" Lina asked. Pulling the attention back to her. "Whenever you are." Inuyasha said. Crouching low and tensing for the race. "If you would do the honors Kagome? Please count from 5 to one please. I hope you don't mind my music Inuyasha." Lina looked up to see him shrug from his tensed position. Nodding her ascent to Kagome to start counting.  
  
As she counted down, Lina chose what she considered perfect racing music and pushed the track button and waited for it to load.  
  
Upon the shout of "GO!!!" from Kagome. Inuyasha shot off. Leaving Lina in the dust. Counting aloud from 10 to one. As "I'm gonna get through this by Daniel Bedingfield" started to play. At once Lina seemed to disappear to Kagome and the others. A sparkle of light from the tree line marked her position. She lagged only a little behind Inuyasha, yet he had made it a quarter of the way there already.  
  
Keeping pace with Inuyasha wasn't hard for Lina. She even showed off a little, at several points in the song soaring above the trees as she acrobatically swung herself up branches and into the sky. As the song died they reached the tree. Inuyasha touched and immediately started back. Lina seemed to rest as she chose her next song to set her pace. "I'm gonna get you good by Shania Twain" sounded like a good song to Lina. She decided to count to 10 again and about halfway through the song she got impatient and suddenly went above the trees where Inuyasha couldn't see her and raced ahead, turning the CD off as she went so he couldn't tell how far ahead of him she was. When she was in site of the village, she decided to hide in the topmost branches of a tree that ringed the village, to wait for Inuyasha to pass.  
  
A few moments later Inuyasha streaked out of the tree line to be caught by Kagome as they went down. Lina waited a minute or two and made sure it looked like she had gotten really stuck in a bush or something and came out of the tree line dusty, dirty, and disheveled. Kagome after untangling herself with the exuberant Inuyasha, went to Lina to ask what happened. Lina came all the way to the hut porch and gave the poor excuse of being caught in a thicket of thorn bushes. (I don't know about the vegetation on that side of the world. So I'm using my native plants.) With a glint in her eye Lina looked sideways, a knowing smile from Inuyasha, as he crossed the yard, confirmed her suspicion that Inuyasha had already read her intent before the race and came up to her to claim his prize.  
  
Speaking up from her position leaning against the huts doorway, Lina feigned annoyance at Inuyasha, "Here is your prize, but I'm giving it later." Surprise registered on Kagome's face from her sitting position on the porch, that there had even been a wager on the race. With an innocent expression on Lina and Inuyasha's face, Lina gave him the pendent to inspect.  
  
+Do not use it on her yet Inuyasha+ Lina thought.  
  
+Why not? + Inuyasha thought. A quizzical expression on his face.  
  
+Because if you use the spell on her now you would get an even worse reaction from her, since she is in a good mood. It would only fuel the fire. Let me give it to her and say it was a gift. I need to say the incantation anyway to activate it. Don't worry though. Your name will be in the incitation. I will tell you when you can say the binding word. + Lina thought back, with a look of warning on her face.  
  
+Ok. + Inuyasha thought back, with a uncouncious pout.  
  
Then he realized something. He hadn't been sat the entire time Lina was with them. With a side look her way, Inuyasha watched the cunning side look Lina sent him back. He knew she had something to do with this.  
  
+You know what I'm thinking don't you? Why hasn't it happened? I even called her "stupid girl' and "bitch" earlier before the race and got no reaction. Why is that? + Inuyasha sent his thoughts.  
  
Walking into the hut Lina sat down not yet replying. Inuyasha sensing she was waiting for the appropriate moment sat down beside her and watched the others come in. Lina faced forward as they sat side by side in Kaede's hut. From all outside appearances Lina and Inuyasha were just sitting there in silence. +I am toning down her anger until I can get you two to talk about some of the misunderstandings I "know" you have had. She doesn't understand your use of language and you don't understand her. + Lina thought back before adding. +Although I am sorry to admit that more than once I have heard the words out of my lifemates mouth that I "should have been a guy". I just don't understand all the emotional stuff sometimes that are attributed with some girls. + Lina made a face of disgust so sour that Kagome just had to ask what was the matter, since Lina had looked thoughtful and then suddenly changed expressions. Inuyasha fighting back a laugh at the whole situation.  
  
+Will I be able to read minds and stuff like that after some of our training? + Inuyasha thought suddenly.  
  
Fighting a grin Lina nodded slightly, so as to not tip off the four sets of eyes watching them intently. 


	4. A gift, groping, and magic

Disclaimer: Darn I hate these. I don't own Inuyasha, although I do own anyone you don't recognize. Humm. I still like the idea of puppy ears on my hubby, I'm sure it would only make him cuter.  
  
Chapter 4) A gift, groping, and magic  
  
Kagome watched them with rapt interest from her place across the fire. She just couldn't shake the feeling that Lina and Inuyasha weren't as peaceful as they seemed. They were sitting in a corner of the room, side by side, their facial expressions changing every once in awhile. It was almost as if they were talking somehow, but that seemed silly.  
  
Suddenly Lina had a really sour face for no reason at all. Out of concern Kagome asked what was wrong, wondering if Lina was ill or something. At the almost comically surprised look on her face and Inuyasha's almost uncontrollable laughter, Kagome was very, very suspicious.  
  
"So what was this prize you won Inuyasha?" Kagome asked in interest. With a sudden shared look and a nod from Lina, Lina stood up and said, "Inuyasha won this necklace and pendant for you. He told me you likes such things." Lina was solemnly looking at Kagome while holding out a gold chain with the most peculiar pendant on the end of it. It was in the shape of the earth and even seemed to be alive and moving. Surprise at the statement and the fact that Inuyasha had won something for her, Kagome watched Lina as she brought the pendant over. A peculiar feeling swept over Kagome when she touched it as Lina handed the pendant to Kagome. Lina then knelt beside Kagome and upon explaining that it was a family heirloom, offered to put it on Kagome. Kagome said "Ok." And Lina picked up the neck lass. Turning around Kagome didn't see the sudden closed eyes and exceedingly fast incantation recited over the pendant. Lina ran her finger over the pendant a fast three times and ran her fingers up the entire length of chain before touching the ends and bringing it around Kagome to fasten it. All of this done so fast it didn't look like she had done anything, even to Miroku. As the chain clasped, Kagome felt a sudden release of power flush over her. To her alarm, Miroku noticed it too and asked Lina what was wrong with the pendant with a worried look between the two. Lina got a self-satisfied look and after some soothing, told them all that it was just the protection spell being activated in the chain. That it and its magic made the wearer safe and made the neck lass irremovable by anyone but the wielder. (Unbenonced to all but Inuyasha, they thought Kagome the wielder. Just for all those who I must lead into the story.) Satisfied by this explanation and a thorough examination by Miroku, just for his piece of mind. Kagome looked over at Inuyasha then, with a soft look in her eye, and thanked Inuyasha for the gift. Inuyasha thoroughly red and without thinking said," You don't have to make such a big deal about it. Y." Suddenly Inuyasha was cut off by a threatening look from Lina and a sudden mental command in a language he didn't know. The command itself paralyzing his vocal cords. Inuyasha looked at Lina in anger. Kagome not knowing what was wrong questioned Lina with a look of concern on her face, "What's wrong?" Lina sent Kagome a soft look and told her that it was just late and to tell Inuyasha whatever else she was going to do, because she was wanting to tell him something before she found a tree to sleep in for the night.  
  
Laughingly Lina looked over at Inuyasha who seemed furious. Pleadingly she spoke to him in his mind.  
  
+Inuyasha. I know you are mad, but you were going to say something you would regret and would have hurt Kagome. I know you really wouldn't mean it and I am holding you until she is done for you own good. I will cool your anger too if I must. +  
  
Inuyasha looked at Lina thoughtfully. Grudgingly letting his anger receed as Kagome approached him.  
  
"I really mean it Inuyasha," Kagome was saying, "I love the pendant." Suddenly with a rush of emotion Kagome flung herself at Inuyasha. Lina suddenly utilized Inuyasha, with a warning look. Lina spoke to him in his mind before turning and leaving the hut.  
  
+Enjoy this Inuyasha. I know you don't want to but some of the best things in life are fleeting. Don't say too much. This is a gift for you. +  
  
Upon Lina's leaving, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo could only watch in amazement at Inuyasha and Kagome hugging each other.  
  
A few hours later, after Inuyasha and Lina were off in a tree somewhere and everyone was settled down in the hut. Sango was startled awake by a roving hand. Looking over she noticed that Miroku had scooted near her in his sleep and didn't even know he was groping again. Removing his hand and finding a rope. Sango tied his sleepily groping hands together and turned him over, taking care not to wake him.  
  
Unbenonced to Miroku, Sango had long ago accepted the hetai and his hands. Although it still grated heavily on her, that he groped other women. She sometimes even admitted to herself that she felt the emotion of jealousy sometimes, as he asked his all-important question to others. "Will you bear my child."? Sometimes seemed to ring in her head and with it the almost crushing need to tell him "yes she would", just so he wouldn't ask anyone else. Sighing she laid down and watched him from a distance. Taking her fill, then frowning and turning over she mentally chasted herself, because she had the sinking feeling that she was turning into a hetai too, sadly only for Miroku though. Sighing gustily this time, she went to sleep. Slowly with infinite care, a smile of pure bliss crossed Miroku's face as he slowly turned over, opened his eyes and looked with satisfaction on Sango's sleeping form, before turning over again and going to sleep. He couldn't have Sango getting suspicious, so he left his hands tied.  
  
Early the next morning, everyone was awoken abruptly by a call that sounded suspiciously like a lion's call. Inuyasha looked down from the god tree to inspect the sound that was so close to him. Slightly amused when he realized it was coming from Lina. There she was, stretching against the bottom of the tree, scratching her back against the rough bark. Opening her mouth she yawned, as she did this, the lion sound emerged, along with a row of exceedingly sharp canines. She had sharper canine teeth than any youki he had ever seen. Dropping down from his perch, Inuyasha stared at Lina a moment before she sleepily sent.  
  
+What did I do? +  
  
"Is it normal for you to sound that way?" Inuyasha laughingly asked.  
  
+What way? + Lina looked puzzled. "Oh like you are roaring or something." Inuyasha gave her a pointed look.  
  
+Oh my yawning? Sorry I can remember to tone it down if you like. It's an unconscious call to my lifemate. He always wants to know when I'm awake and it's become somewhat a habit. I'll tell you this.. + Linas right eyebrow quirked in amusement. +me and my lifemate have each other trained well. +  
  
Inuyasha suddenly wondered what it would be like to know someone that well. To be able to tell what the other is thinking, to know their habits, to be able to tell their emotions just by a minimal change of expression.  
  
Longing filled Inuyasha suddenly before he had a chance to stop it. Looking up Lina gave him a pat on the back and a look of understanding. "Ok," Lina announced cheerily," this will be your first lesson, since I don't have the time to clean in the conventional way, I will teach you an incantation that will make you clean and refreshed instantly."  
  
Looking at Inuyasha she noted the interest in his face and the drive to learn. Turning around and facing him, Lina held out her hand to him. With an exasperated look when he didn't comprehend. She held his hand and looked into his startled golden eyes. "Ok, for the first time I am going to aid you and make sure you don't do anything to ruin your clothes. Since it is possible if you don't say it right." Lina looked at Inuyasha who seemed to tense and relax at the words.  
  
"Are you ready to begin?" Lina asked.  
  
Inuyasha nodded and Lina smiled. "Repeat after me. Ok?" Lina looked at Inuyasha who was waiting.  
  
"Clean right now, Crystal clear, clean from tip of toe, to pointed ear." Upon the end of the last word. A sudden band of hot and cold air seemed to tingle from the ground, whirling up both of their bodies. Upon reaching the very tops of Inuyasha's ears, the winds stopped. Inuyasha was surprised that he felt as though he had just dried off from a dip in the hot springs, after being thoroughly scrubbed and his clothing washed. His hair was softer than he ever remembered it to be and had no tangles or anything in it, not even a twig from the god tree, and he felt refreshed. Staring he looked at Lina agape. "All that from a little incantation?"  
  
Smugly Lina looked at Inuyasha, leading him into camp. Upon entering camp Lina took him to sit in front of the waking Kagome before sitting a few feet away near the opposing wall. "I'm sorry I woke you all up." Lina apologized. "It won't happen again."  
  
Startled Kagome looked up at Inuyasha. He looked brushed, dried and clean, almost the cleanest she had ever seen him. He looked at her interested face and flushed crimson. "What are you staring at? Its not like you haven't seen me clean before." Inuyasha huffed. Lina explained," I taught him a cleaning incantation." With a resounding row of amused faces the now pretty hanyo, Inuyasha stormed off, not liking the look of amusement at his expense, on any of their faces. Lina looked up understandingly at the retreating back of her grandson and looked at the assembly before speaking. "I am off to find Inuyasha's brother and will probably be back by this afternoon. I do not know quite when so do not worry. I will probably be taking Inuyasha as well so do not follow us."  
  
Shippo who had become fast friends with Lina after her introduction, jumped on her from Kagome's pallet and asked her not to go and that Sesshomaru was dangerous and that he didn't want her to get hurt.  
  
Patting Shippo on the head for comfort, Lina explained that Sesshomaru wasn't a problem and not to worry. Also she warned, putting her finger to his nose, that she wouldn't have him following her and if she had to she would put up a barrier spell on the village perimeter so only he could not cross it, she would without hesitation. She didn't want him hurt so she gave Shippo to Kagome and went in search of Inuyasha.  
  
He was right were she expected him to be despite his sulking manner earlier. She met him at the tree line to the east, knowing he was wanting to go with her. +You must promise me you will not strike at him and let me handle this. I am going to silence him so he cannot raise your ire. I know how he goads you about your mother and I have put tolerance on his list of things to learn. + Lina sent the now annoyed hanyo.  
  
+Why does he have to learn anything at all. He is already as big of an ass as I can stand now. + Inuyasha sent exasperated at Lina.  
  
+Because just like you, I am trying to make a fair chance for the both of you. + Lina returned.  
  
Turning back towards the village, Lina bent down and traced a small circle in the soil. Seeking into herself she sent power into the little circle and thought of Shippo and his spirit's vibration, knowing he would try to follow. Glowing softly a deep plum color, the circle seemed to vibrate. Scooping her hands into the soil, Lina extracted the circle and stood up. At the questioning look from Inuyasha she smiled. Gripping the sides of the little circle with her fingers, then flung it into the air. At once the small circle the size of a quarter, morphed into a great plum colored dome over the entire village, ringing it until it stopped at her feet, then faded away. There was a faint purple groove in the soil before Lina and Inuyasha that pulsed, Inuyasha had the suspicious feeling it still existed all over the village. "What did you do?" Inuyasha questioned with a qurked brow and alert ears, his hair flowing in the light eastern breeze.  
  
"I am making sure Shippo cannot follow us. This barrier only affects him until we return. Although if evil were to try to enter the village it would naturally repel it anyway. " Lina replied calmly. She then turned away from the village, signaling Inuyasha to follow.  
  
Miroku down in the village rushed out upon feeling the great surge of power and spotted Lina and Inuyasha talking. Worried about the influx of power, he opened up his mouth to ask what had been done, when Lina answered the question Inuyasha had already asked. Looking back into the hut, Miroku wearily told Shippo that it looked like he would be staying put for a while. Going back into the hut, Miroku watched as Inuyasha and Lina faded from sight. 


	5. Taking Sesshomau down and a carriage rid...

Disclaimer: I'm too poor to own Inuyasha.  
  
Chapter 5) Taking Sesshomau down and a carriage ride  
  
Once out of sight, Lina continued until they reached a clearing. Striding until she was in the center, Lina motioned for Inuyasha to come up next to her. Tilting her head back to look at the sky Lina questioned Inuyasha. "Do you remember the smoky feeling you had just before you first met me?"  
  
"Yes," Inuyasha replied with a scowl and a crossing of his arms.  
  
"Well, there is a way that I will show you and later teach you about detecting specific or general youkai and their power levels. But for now I will show you the easiest way to find your brother using this technique." Lina looked over at Inuyasha, smiling at his unchanged demeanor and the sparkle now in his eyes. Since it was easier to concentrate this way, Lina switched over to sending her thoughts as she focused.  
  
+First you must focus on what you specifically want to accomplish. This time being finding your brother. + Lina told Inuyasha as they both stood now side-by-side concentrating.  
  
+Next build a picture or a feeling of your brother. You will have an easier time at this than I, since I must use the feel of our bloodline to focus on, but you can picture him and know his scent intimately. + Lina sent. + Can you picture him accurately without prejudice? + Lina sent.  
  
+Yes I think I can. + Inuyasha returned.  
  
+Good. Now when you have the feeling or picture of those you wish to locate in your mind, start feeling the earth around you and center yourself. Then picture a pulse of energy. Flowing and colored as you like. Then breath that picture out of your mind in a sudden rush, feel the power flow through you and into the ground. Then wait for the feeling of connection to your target. + With all this said and done, Lina opened her eyes and smiled over at Inuyasha who had complied beautifully.  
  
  
  
"Look up Inuyasha. Look at what you've accomplished." Lina said as she pointed at the glowing red smoke, drifting up above the trees a good distance away.  
  
Inuyasha looked with shock at the smokey whisp of power and turned to his grandmother with enthusiasm in his eyes. "I can do that to anyone I want? Anytime I want? Does it work on humans too?" Inuyasha asked, trying valiantly not to sound excited.  
  
Stifling a laugh at his enthusiasm, Lina shrugged and began answering. "Ok, Ok, yes you can do that again and anytime you want. Yes it works on anyone," with a briefly shared look of understanding with Inuyasha, "humans too, except it uses their life force, not youki."  
  
Turning Lina started a brief stretch back to loosen up her back and looked over at her grandson asking if he was ready to go.  
  
A look of total glee passed over Inuyasha's face at the thought of someone kicking his haughty big brother's butt, even if it wasn't him personally. He suddenly smiled an absolutely evil grin, he could track Kagome now too, and she didn't need to go to her time so often anyway. He could catch her before she snuck off now, maybe even after training, be able to read her intentions before. Looking over at Lina, Inuyasha asked if she wanted to race him to his brother's position. Smiling widely, Lina asked unperturbed if he thought someone of his age could beat one of the eldest most powerful beings in the world. Proceeding to act as haughty as she could possibly muster and not laugh. "Hell yes." Was her only response from Inuyasha.  
  
"Ok pup, I'll even give you a twenty second head start just to teach you something." Lina said as primly as possible. Smiling finally she let him take the lead in a whirl of speed.  
  
  
  
Counting down from 20, Lina watched with pride as Inuyasha streaked through the forest. Since she had been around him so long, she could track his progress and feel his youki get farther away. Upon reaching one, Lina streaked off gaining speed as she did. Keeping track of her target and Inuyasha, Lina put on the speed. Streaking past Inuyasha in moments, she laughed at the annoyed look from his face as she passed him. Narrowing her focus on Sesshomaru, Lina knew she would have to silence him almost from the start of the fight. Taking him by surprise shouldn't be much problem since she had such a lead on Inuyasha and the fact that he didn't recognize her youki. This was going to be fun.  
  
  
  
The group of three were going through the forest when suddenly Sesshomaru felt a powerful youki coming their way. "Jaken. Take Rin deep into the forest until I tell you that you may return." Sesshomaru ordered. "Yes Sesshomaru-sama." Jaken replied immediately, dragging Rin along with him. Taking up a fighting stance, he waited in anticipation. Maybe this time he would meet a youki that would actually represent a challenge for once. Suddenly a gust of wind almost blew him over and a figure appeared a few yards away. Rushing the intruder he got an almost shock. Where had the female youki gone so fast? She was in front of him one moment and gone the next. Immediately he swung around, pulling tensaiga out of the sheath as he went, but there was no one there. Looking around Sesshomaru saw no one in the clearing, even though he could feel a very strong youki close by. Warily Sesshomaru paced the circumference of the clearing before he felt Inuyasha approaching from the south. Still confused by where the other youki was, he waited for Inuyasha to appear.  
  
  
  
Lina was moving so fast that not even the wind had a chance to catch her scent. Circling around and around Sesshomaru, watching his movements as he searched for her. She studied her grandson approvingly, his golden eyes flickering about the clearing, with training he could be quite good. Upon feeling Inuyasha's youki approaching, Lina decided to end this battle now, before anyone was hurt to bad. Lina observed Sesshomaru a moment and thought a really hard blow to the head might solve her problems promptly. The only other thing would be to get Sesshomaru's companions to the village while he trained. Deciding to worry about the other two later, Lina rose in the air to get enough height to make the blow in one hit. Upon getting a wase above the treeline in a streak of power. She checked Sesshomaru's position in the clearing, and plummeted straight down on him.  
  
  
  
Sesshomaru was quite sure that Inuyasha would clear the tree line any moment now, when he felt an intense pain in the side of his head. The pain was so intense that, even struggling; he fell down and looking upon the mystery youki with surprise, blacked out.  
  
  
  
Inuyasha cleared the trees moments after Sesshomaru collapsed. Looking winded and surprised at the sight before him, he looked up at Lina in speculation. How had she done it in such a short time? "So, didn't leave me any time to have a little fun with him? Can't we just kill him? He is such a basterd anyway." Inuyasha still looking at Lina said in disgust. Looking like he was regaining his wind and movement back, Lina humored him with almost the say words as before. "No Inuyasha. I told you already that I am going to give him a fair chance. Just like you. So deal with it." "How did you take him down so fast anyway?" Inuyasha asked Lina as he walked around Sesshomaru's prone body lying in the dirt on the far side of the clearing. "I didn't want to hurt him too badly so I made a quick killer blow to his temple. He will have a bad headache for about an hour but it should subside.." Lina said circling opposite Inuyasha as they surveyed her handiwork on Sesshomaru. Lina crowched down and examined his temple with exquisite care. "I made sure I didn't cause any internal injuries. I don't want to have to wait to train you two."  
  
"WHAT!!!!" Inuyasha said jumping back, an incredulous expression on his face.  
  
"This isn't part of the fair chance thing is it? He doesn't need to be any more powerful than he already is." "You will both be trained in different areas Inuyasha, although just for your piece of mind." Lina paused looking up at the hanyou with a measured look from her crouched position," you will be happy to know that you will be learning much more than him. Interestingly enough you have more potential than your brother." Lina let this soak in as she went to the tree line and searched for an indication of where Sesshomaru's companions had gone.  
  
Inuyasha's face set in a look of shock and wonder as Lina's words sunk in. 'He had more potential?' 'What did that mean?' Pulling himself back, he tried for a look of indifference as he watched Lina scan the trees. "How are we going to take him back and are we going after his stupid little minion and the girl?" Inuyasha asked Lina, as she seemed to stare out in a still, outwards direction for a time. "You take your brother back. I will put a spell on him so he will not wake up until I return, and Inuyasha." Lina said looking back and up at him with intense eyes from her position by the trees. "I will know if you or anybody hurts him." She said with a warning in her voice. Lina came up to the pair and kneeled down before Sesshomaru's prone body and mumbled some words to him. Touching his forehead crecent symbol, then his nose and then each of his ears, she stood. Looking at Inuyasha she motioned for him to pick up his brother. Inuyasha dipped and hoisted is brother over his shoulder. Lina looked him in the eye as he righted and walking closer kissed her right hand and put it to the startled hanyou's forehead. "Make sure you are safe. The enchantment I have just given you will protect you or anyone touching you from harm until I return." Inuyasha shook his head and started to turn back south to the village when Lina's hand on his shoulder stopped him. "The enchantment is for your own safety Inuyasha. It will also tell me if you are ever hurt." Emotion seemed to swim in Linas eyes to Inuyasha's astonishment. Lowering her hand Lina turned towards the trees. Softly she said something that shocked Inuyasha even more. "I promised myself long ago when I didn't get here in time to protect your father, that I would watch over the both of you. I know I haven't done the best job for you Inuyasha and I hope you will forgive me some day." A single tear ran down Lina's face as she closed her eyes to her own personal pain. Turning briefly she shouted at Inuyasha to bring him out of his stupor. "NOW GO!!!" After a brief moment of stillness, Inuyasha brought himself together and with a faint, "Feh." He turned and darted into the forest.  
  
Lina in her self-recrimination, stood there in the clearing, letting the sunlight calm her.  
  
+Do you have need of me my love? + Lina heard strongly in her head. The melodious bass of the voice caressing her from far off.  
  
Smiling Lina walked over to a tree and rested her forehead against it. Her lifemate always knew how to reach out and touch someone.  
  
+I am fine my silly thing. I just need a moment to myself, I can't help recall what I was too late to correct last time. I should have been there. + Lina then began to beat her head against the tree in reproach. (Lol, now we know where Inuyasha gets the tree thing from don't we.)  
  
After a good while of beating and a few rounds of soft laughter caressing her mind she rudely tried to shut up her life mate in her head and get his thoughts on the right track. For once.  
  
+Laugh it up dog boy. But you know very well what I mean. The pain is gone from loosing Inu's father but still, you don't have to laugh. +  
  
+I'm sorry my love * chuckle * , but I can picture you very well. You forget that I can see what you see if I wish and I keep seeing a tree coming at your face. * chuckle * and I know what that means my love. Stop beating yourself up so much. Literally. You will just give yourself a headache and then how would you find our grandson's companions? Hummm? +  
  
+I hate it when you get all arrogant and teasing. Especially when you are right. You have the awful habit of bringing it up so often when you have to be right. + Lina sent her mate with a look of disgust on her face as she stared at the trees for awhile.  
  
+I am going after his companions now. So stay out of my head and mind your own bees wax buster. +  
  
Lina smiled wider at the light feeling she was now feeling and the maniacal chuckle her lifemate seemed to not control. Ignoring his little jibes at her pride, she ignored his whispering in her head as she set off in search of the two followers by their scent.  
  
  
  
Rin was very tired of hearing Jaken rant about being left alone with her while Sesshomaru-sama protected them. Looking over she watched, as Jaken seemed to talk to no one in particular, yet his mouth didn't stop moving. Toning him out, she looked around the clearing Jaken had taken them too. Upon closer observation, there was a lovely spot of flowers behind her and looking at Jaken decided to make him a crown of them to lighten his mood. Feeling cheerier at the thought of a happier Jaken, Rin went to work.  
  
Lina couldn't suppress a giggle of mirth from the tree line as she watched the little girl and the frog demon. Jaken she thought would have to be silenced before she took him. He was just annoying and the little girl must be used to it she thought with interest, she seemed to not be hearing a word of the lecture he said, as she twined daisies into a circlet for the unknowing Jaken. Perched in a tree along the clearing, Lina watched for a perfect time to instill the silence spell on Jaken. She took the liberty of a lull before he caught his second wind and silenced him. The comical look on his face was too much to bear and laughing, Lina fell out of the tree and into the clearing rolling with laughter.  
  
Rin looking up couldn't tell much about the youki that had entered the clearing, except she couldn't stop laughing. She didn't seem to be evil or anything and even looked cheerier than Sesshomaru-sama. Although she thought to herself that she hadn't met that many youki anyway, so why compare. Rin suddenly realized the expression on her guardian's face and the deep frown he seemed to be sending to the youki. Looking down Rin was happy to see her circlet was finished and skipped over to Jaken. Putting the circlet on his head she moved back to study her work and turned to the youki. "Are you a good youki? Do you know where Sesshomau-sama went?" Rin asked the female youki with a look of puzzlement.  
  
Lina watched the proceedings before her, the circlet on Jaken just made his mad expression look priceless. Choking down more laughter Lina tried to compose herself long enough to answer the little girl. "Umm. My name in Lina. Your Sesshomau-sama asked for me to bring you to the village he is going to. I have agreed to train him and you will need to be close for however long he wishes. " Lina said with as straight a face as she could pull off. Lips twitching with contained mirth. Lina sneaked a scowled at Jaken and warned him without words.  
  
+I am telling the truth Jaken. Your master is safe and will not be harmed. You will believe me in due time, but you WILL come with me or I will make you come. + This caused Jaken to scowl lower and reluctantly nodded.  
  
Turning to Rin, Lina raised her hand and a glowing ball of light appeared. Walking a distance from Rin and Jaken, but still inside the clearing, Lina put the ball on the ground and formed a mental picture a carriage to her likening for the two. The ball of light wavered for a moment and then increased in size. It became a large six-foot high ball of pinkish light with a plush platform of two seats that pivoted on a bracket attached to the two sides of the center of the ball. A sling also protruded from the front of the ball with a harness for pulling.  
  
Looking over Lina motioned for Rin and Jaken to come forward. Looking at the two she explained the purpose of the ball. "This is your transportation to the village. You will be very comfortable here Rin and I will take you both straight to Sesshomaru-sama. Ok?" Lina looked over the two for conformation. Getting a happy nod from Rin, Lina looked over at the scowling Jaken. Lina gave an even meaner glare and got a nod from Jaken. Lina proceeded then to pick Rin up and carry her through the ball to set her on one of the plush seats. "Rin likes this thing. Can we use it again sometime soon?" Rin asked Lina jumping up and down with excitement. Lina indulgently looked at the child and nodded. Looking back she picked up Jaken too, his fury evident in every line in his body. Before setting him down on the other plush seat she whispered a warning so only Jaken could hear, Lina spoke with mind chilling preciseness," You will be nice to that little girl. Do you hear me? You will not be able to speak until I am sure Sesshomaru's decision on a time period or if he wishes you to talk. Understand me and shake your head." Setting him down Lina saw the fear in his eyes and smirked. "Hold on you two. This is going to be a fast ride." Lina said as she exited the sphere and walked over to the harness. Putting it on she warmed up and started to run around the clearing to get used to the weight she was pulling.  
  
With a shout from Rin and a burst of speed Lina jumped up to the tallest tree heading southeast and ran across the tree line with blurring speed. The ball rotated behind her as she ran, the platform keeping amazingly steady as the ball gave and let out at the imperfections of the surface below it. Lina poured on the speed and the trees blurred below and mountains drifted away in the distance. Lina approached the village and slowed the ball down. Jumping through the barrier she had constructed. Lina slid to a stop with the ball behind her. Inuyasha and the others rushed out at the sound and looked in question at the ball of light behind Lina.  
  
Kagome came up first after Lina uncumbered herself with the harness wrapped around her waist. "Hello Rin." Kagome said to the little girl in the ball. Lina looked around and went into the ball. Bringing out Jaken and Rin, both under opposite arms. Lina let the waving Rin go over to Kagome.  
  
Jaken stood at Lina's side as she gingerly tapped the ball three times, each time emitting a tinkling tone. Upon the third tone, the ball shrunk to its original size of about a quarter in size, then dispersed. Lina looked over at Kagome and Rin who seemed to be talking to each other a mile a minute and then the questioning face of Miroku. "What was that magic carriage you made disappear?" Miroku asked coming up to Jaken and Lina. "It is a simple spell of transformation. I can create many things from raw magic or power and shape them into whatever I want." Lina explained with a shrug like it was nothing special. "I didn't know people could do that anymore." Miroku said with a thoughtful look on his face and a questioning tone in his voice.  
  
Lina ignored him for now and turned to Inuyasha who was leaning against Kaede's hut as the others stood near them. "Where is Sesshomaru, Inuyasha?"  
  
"He is in here." Inuyasha replied with a scowl as Jaken rushed into the hut in alarm.  
  
Inuyasha gave her a questioning look as he noticed the quiet Jaken and wondered what she had done to the little creature. Shrugging Inuyasha went inside followed slowly by Lina and the others. 


	6. Sesshomaru awakens, questions, and shock...

Chapter 6) Sesshomaru awakens, questions, and shocking revelations  
  
Lina looked around the hut as she entered. Sesshomaru was lying face up along the far wall with Jaken worriedly looking down upon his master. Inuyasha went to stand beside the door as Lina entered followed closely by the chattering Rin and Kagome and the more placid Sango and Miroku. Upon everyone entering Lina went over and picked up the still comatose Sesshomaru. Looking annoyed at Jaken who seemed to protest, she hoisted him over her shoulder and took him outside, walking until she neared the perimeter of her barrier. Kneeling down as if Sesshomaru weighed nothing, she tapped the barrier wall three times; each time it emitted a small pulse of light over the village. Upon the third tap, the wall fell and went away. Lina stood and strode thusly up the hill to the very edge of the village and laid him down. Looking over she noticed the small procession of peoples that were following her. Jaken was hovering over Sesshomaru and little Rin was now beside him as well.  
  
"Everyone but Jaken and Rin get back. When I wake him, he will be violent." Lina warned to the others. Giving an even more meaningful look towards Inuyasha. Since no one seemed to be moving, Lina took Kagome and Inuyasha by the arm, dragging them about fifty feet away from the sleeping Sesshomaru. Everyone else following behind them. At the struggle from Inuyasha she let go of them abruptly. Holding up her finger to Inuyasha at the argument she knew was brewing. Turning to Sesshomaru she walked five feet in front of everyone and holding out her hand, a small bead of light appeared in the center. Tossing it up, a blue circular barrier appeared around Sesshomaru, Rin, and Jaken stopping at Lina's feet (were talking a 45 foot in circumferance circle here). At the startled gasp of everyone but Inuyasha. Lina explained why she made the barrier. "When Sesshomaru awakens he will not be in the best of moods. This barrier is for the protection of Sesshomaru and everyone else. Once I take Jaken and Rin out of it. Only I will be able to pass through." With a warning look at her present companions. Lina went in and took the angry Jaken and the crying Rin out of the circle. Going back in she looked up at the spectators before her, and turned towards her grandson, walked over to him and kneeled by his side. Reversing her motions from before, she touched his left ear, right ear, nose and forehead gently and felt the power she had used return. Bounding back from the awakening Sesshomaru, Lina went into a protective stance and waited.  
  
Sesshomaru looked up at the wavering sky above him, realizing he was inside a weird type of barrier. Wincing at the headache he had, he pushed the sensation down as he looked around him quickly. Spotting his brother he began to growl in earnest. Looking around some more he met the eyes of the strange youkai he had met earlier. "Why am I Sesshomaru here?" Sesshomaru asked the being and readied for the fight he could feel brewing inside himself. Straightening the youkai flipped her chestnut locks and looked at him haughty before announcing something rather shocking. "I am your great grandmother Sesshomaru. Do you not remember me fluffy-chan?" Fluffy-chan? Where had he heard that voice before? He concentrated on the feelings he felt long buried at the tone and feel of the stranger's voice. It had been centuries since anyone had the nerve to call him by his very childish pet name. Only his nanny and another had ever gotten away with it. Looking up startled he recognized the youkai. It had been centuries since he had seen his great grandmother. He hadn't personally seen her since he was ten. "Grams?" Sesshomaru asked hesitantly. "Ahh I see that you remember me a little." The female youkai said with an almost doting smile. "I thought you were dead Grams," Sesshomaru said in his coldest voice and narrowed his eyes as he assessed his location.  
  
"Ha you cant fool me young man," Lina said in a teasing voice as she walked in front of the scowling Sesshomau,"your father tried that trick one too many times." " You can pretend all you like to have no affection for me, but I know you better than you think." Lina smiled hugely at her grandson as a look of unease and embarrassment flitted across his stonic expression. Looking back she watched as Inuyasha rolled on the ground in laughter. Kagome trying to get him to stop before he hurt himself. "Grams, Ha, Ha, Ha, Fluffy-chan, Ha, Ha, Ha." Roaring loudly from his mouth, repeated over and over. Knowing this would only upset Sesshomaru further. Lina put a silencing spell on him. So he could move his mouth but nothing would come out.  
  
Still silently laughing, Inuyasha pulled himself up from the ground just enough to fleetingly scowl at Lina, before he continued to silently laugh. Kagome looked with worry from Lina to Inuyasha before she understood what she had done and worriedly kept vigil over the still rolling Inuyasha. Lina turned back towards her charge and started to talk to him. "Do you yield young man? Or do I have to break a promise to your father and teach you nothing?" Lina scowled Sesshomaru's way. An intrigued face flitted again across Sesshomaru's stonic expression before it was quelled. "Yes I yield. Do I have to learn with my half-brother though?" Sesshomaru asked. Not liking the feeling he was getting and knowing subconsciously that he would have to train with his basterd hanyou brother. "Yes you will and you will not harm anyone but things I choose during your training. Is that clear Sesshomaru?" Lina asked with raised eyebrows. Not trusting that it could be so easy to get him to comply. "What sort of things?" He asked with a raised eyebrow at the audacity Lina had at questioning his honor.  
  
"You will find out when the training begins. So do you agree?" Lina said, not believing that he was about to actually agree without much fight. Straightening and looking rather peaceful now, Sesshomaru looked down upon his grandmother and spoke softly. "Yes I agree, but I Sesshomaru would like sometime later to talk alone with you." Smiling up at the almost hidden look of affection Lina saw disappear behind his mask of indifference. She led Sesshomaru to the barrier wall, looking out at the now scowling Inuyasha. Tugging on Sesshomaru's hand seemed to have the desired affect on him as she brought him to her side. Tapping the required three times, the barrier fell and Lina watched in amusement the growling from Sesshomaru and the silent growl from Inuyasha, until he figured out that it had little effect silenced.  
  
Looking between the two she silently shook her head in amusement as little Rin ran towards her Sesshomaru-sama and clutched him with tears in her now red eyes. Sesshomaru looked up protectively, glancing at Inuyasha in annoyance. Walking Lina led the group of people over to a larger part at the rim of the village and sat down under a protruding tree. Everyone came up to her and knowing that she was going to tell something of importance, all got comfortable, sitting down. Glancing at Inuyasha before he jumped into the above tree, she pointed down, and he grumbling, still silent, sat next to Kagome, looking protective in the presence of his brother. Sesshomaru sat down opposite and to the right of Lina from his brother and let Rin crawl into his lap. Even Jaken silently sat, angry from still not being able to speak.  
  
Glancing around her loose semi circle, Lina began her explanation. "First I will explain my promise to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father. Their father knew he would die in a horrible way before Inuyasha's sixth birthday. Some in our family has this ability and knowing this he made me promise to teach the both of you how to fight in the old ways. Since he hadn't yet had the time to teach the more advanced skills to Sesshomaru and Inuyasha was to small at the time to even begin his training he made me promise this. Knowing the circumstances in both your lives, I had to wait until now to find the two of you." Lina looked between the two over protective brothers and their charges before sighing and looking up at the general assembly. "Ok, now is the time. If anyone has a question, please speak it now. "  
  
"Where is our line from originally anyway?" Inuyasha asked with a puzzled frown. "  
  
"We are originally from the year 2004. From an earth much like this one, but much more advanced. Your Grandfather and me came to this dimension about 40 million years ago. We have watched the rise of everything man and youkai. Incidentally both man and youkai come from a common ancestor." Lina answered the now very astonished and confused assembly of people. "What do you mean we have a common ancestor?" Sesshomaru said in indignation.  
  
"Humans and Youkai have a common ancestor. " Lina said with infinite patience. "There was at one time a race of beings much like Inuyasha. Those that were half human and half youkai, but this race of beings had blood mixed to the point that the youkai and human blood was the same thing. They had powers and were a race of beings that were of no real identifiable race like youkai today. Some were hairy with scales, or cat and dog at the same time, and other things of this nature. Only a few million years actually separate your two races at all." Lina explained to the now astonished group. "Humans and youkai are actually genetic cousins. So closely related as to crossbreed."  
  
"Like a horse and a mule?" Kagome asked with a puzzled face.  
  
"Yes like that, only without the side effects that a mule and horse have. You are more closely related than that. " Lina looking at Kagome now explained.  
  
"Where do you actually live now?" Sesshomaru asked stonically as he wrapped his arms protectively around Rin.  
  
"Me and my mate live on a continent that no one knows about yet. It is across the sea and will not be discovered for several centuries. It is currently to your east. Kagome knows of what I speak." Lina looked at Kagome for clarification. Watching surprise and a questioning look cross Kagome's face.  
  
"You are from America? Where in America exactly?" Kagome questioned with a look of understanding at the moccasins.  
  
"Yes I am from where you would call America. Actually in your time my home is in the state called Oklahoma on any modern map. I wanted to settle in a place as close to my first home as possible." Lina said to the now excited Kagome.  
  
Lina looked around at the others and smiling could just hear the question in their minds. Ah-mer-ic-ka? Whispering Kagome told Inuyasha she would show him where later in her time.  
  
"How do you know my father?" Inuyasha asked Lina in interest, his attention wavering between his grandmother and Kagome.  
  
:::chuckle::: "I met your father when he was about your age Inuyasha. I came to visit your grandfather who was the ruler of the time. He looked much like you but as tall as your brother. He had long flowing white hair and unlike a good deal of youkai he had a small quirk you see that made him stand out to your mother later." :::smiling evily::: "He could not change into his human form quite right, so he had a tail much like Sesshomaru's but a slight bit shorter. Short enough to wag in fact. :::smiles evilly again::: But that isn't what endeared him. He was like you Inuyasha and had dog-ears utop his head. Your mother couldn't stop rubbing them sometimes. :::grins::: And from what I've seen neither can you help females want to touch them. :::grins eviler:::" Lina watches as Sesshomaru fidgets and Inuyasha blushes before continuing. "Your father was just learning the old ways when I first met him and he was very outgoing and arrogant at the time. Some would say he could sweet talk a slug into a bowl of salt if he wanted to. I visited him several times after that and helped your grandfather teach him many times. I watched as he fell in love the first time and tragically lost her when Sesshomaru was born and I was also there when he found his soul mate the second." At this point Lina gives Sesshomaru a fridged look. "I also watched as a certain someone went against his promise and sent them away without telling me where they went, so I could not help them. "  
  
Defensively Sesshomaru looked at Lina and explained again. "I thought you were dead alright."  
  
"That is no excuse. You knew very well that you could have at least tried to signal me. You know very well that the ancient incantation that is in the family spell book would try to send your thoughts to me. Then you could have found out if I was alive or not!" Thoroughly annoyed Lina's body seemed to radiate her annoyance at her grandson. With a cooling breath, Lina tried to center herself before continuing with the answers.  
  
"Are there any more questions?" Lina asked at the group. Turning an annoyed look at Sesshomaru and an understanding one at the hurt radiating from the blank faced Inuyasha.  
  
"How old are you exactly?" Shippo asked cautiously from Kagome's lap.  
  
:::chuckles::: "Shippo, you know very well it isn't polite to ask a lady her age." Seeing his crestfallen gaze she chucked again. "But remember Shippo, I am no lady so I will tell you." Shippo's face beamed at Lina. " I am exactly, ready everyone? I can only say it once because it is a very long number." Looking at the interested faces she told them. "I am exactly, forty one million, five hundred and eighty four thousand, twenty three years old. "  
  
:::Everyone Blink. Blink. Blink:::  
  
"Your that old?" Shippo questioned.  
  
"Yes little one."Lina answered Shippo. Looking at the still rapidly blinking group. She laughed uproariously. Bringing herself under control she asked. "Now if there are no more questions for the time being I am going into the forest to set up an area I will use for your training." Looking around at the still shocked assembly, she stood. "If anyone can think of any more questions. Ask me them later. I will write them down and hold another session of answers at a later time. Also I have just lifted Inuyasha and Jaken's silence spell. You can talk now and good night."  
  
Looking back at everyone she stepped around Sesshomau and walked into the forest before anyone noticed.  
  
Two minutes later~~ Inuyasha came out of it first and looking at everyone, he said the first thing that came to mind. "Fuck is she old."  
  
Everyone nodded and just stared off into space for awhile longer before dispersing. All of them not quite paying attention to what they are really doing, they all got ready to sleep since it was now late in the evening. Everyone went to sleep moments later still thinking of the fact that they had met a being older than they had ever imagined in their entire lives. 


	7. The training area Detail oriented

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but I finally sweet-talked my husband into the doggy ear thing. :::pouts::: But I can only get him to try the Halloween ones on a hair band. I'm trying my persuasive powers on him really hard though. :::grins evilly:::  
  
  
  
Chapter 7) The training area. Detail oriented.  
  
4 days after the meeting ~  
  
Lina looked around at her handiwork, sighing in satisfaction. She was proud of the training area she had set up in the forest a few miles from Kaede's village. The stream nearby and the mountain range in the distance were perfect for her purposes and would help with the training she had planned. Smelling herself and grinning at the still fresh smell, she was happy at the pile of firewood she had piled up near the buildings, clearing this area had taken time.  
  
The lodges she had created would suite her purposes and could be used afterwards if someone wanted them. The main lodge was for Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. It was designed for a meeting place with a fire pit, a table, windows made of glass, and had two rooms off the main one each with opening windows (she is able to make glass if you must know). She knew that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were used to "roughing it", but she wanted them to be comfortable during their training. So she had created two elaborate beds, one in each room, also made to dismantle easily. ::: smiling knowingly::: Picking favorite stories and other things they liked out of both of her grandson's heads, each was created with loving care for the occupant. Inuyasha's bed as well as Sesshomaru's had started off has large mahogany box shapes and Lina had done the detail work from there. She had to admit, they were beautiful.  
  
Inuyasha's bed had carvings of a pack of feral dogs running in the snow and howling at the moon, running along the sides of the mahogany bed in controlled chaos as the lead dog nuzzled his mate while running at the lead. Embossed on the end of the footboard was another pictorial of a night scene. A feral dog pair was resting in front of a tree den. The roots of the tree making a natural doorway and the den under the trunk. The tree was strikingly similar to the god tree, the pair nuzzling together at the entrance. Grinning again, Lina secretly laughed. The bed was filled with a comfortable mattress of alpaca wool and feathers as a center with a forest green comforter and matching pillows. The beds would breath and not squish down after repeated use due to the combination mattress, but that wasn't why she was grinning. On the other side of the front board, facing the wall was another pictorial. One of a feral dog pair watching over their pup. They looked straight up and out of the wood; the female seemed to lean on the male, both watching the pup affectionately. Around the males neck was a thin chain with a ball on the end. The wood in that place shined to a high gloss while a knot went through it making it look like the shifting surface of the shiko jewel, but he would find out about it later.  
  
Sesshomaru's bed was much different. Two different pictorials took over the sides of the bed. The one facing the door had a pictorial of two feral male dogs in a fight of strength and domination, the fluffy larger male obviously winning. But on the other side, the side facing the window to the south, it was much different, Lina wondered for a moment if she should have carved it at all, dismissing it she thought some more. The pictorial on this side was of a pack of feral dogs on a rocky ledge. The alpha pair nuzzling in the rocky den on a high ledge with pups encircling, each waiting for attention. The moon hung low in the distance and each dog was paired with looks of contentment in their eyes. On the footboard was the Inu crest of arms and also hidden under the matching bed set, this time in royal blue, was another pictorial on the front board facing the wall. This pictorial of a majestically large Eskimo dog with his mate, they were close and the male was licking the females nose while a sleepy puppy tumbled playfully at their joined feet.  
  
All in all she could only think one thing "god I'm good". Smiling Lina went to the perimeter of the camp and into a grove of trees where the second smaller lodge rested. She walked up the steps of the wrap around porch and looked at the supporting poles, smiling. Each was a carved totem pole in the set of the family protectors. The dog, the tiger, the dragon, the eagle, and the fox. Each had meaning from a distant part of the world for Lina and she remembered the curious looks from home when passing tribes would spot the totem in front of her home. Most with curiosity at the strange animals none had ever seen before. Each pole carves with precision to detail and buffed to a high gloss then painted in the ways of the southwest peoples. Sighing, Lina went inside to her temporary residence. The main room had a fire pit three-fourths the size of the main lodge and braziers you could move in all the four corners. Farther back was a small room with a doorway that went under the house and down into a cold storage room for supplies that spanned the house. The natural cold spring water she had found flowing under the ground made a bubbling pool at the east end of the storage area, keeping it exceptionally cool down there. Further back was the sleeping area. The bed was much like the others but carved different. Instead of a box, it was in the form of a sled in cherry wood. The sides covered in the pictures of a wolf pack with dog members and a dog and wolf alpha pair, running over a field of tall grassland in the middle of a full moon night. Almost hidden in the footboard was a pictorial of a totem much like the outside support poles and hidden behind the mattress set of creamy yellow was a surprise. On this board was in intricate detail, a picture of the milky way galaxy, almost star chart accurate. Rotating her shoulders a little and opening the round stained glass window in the shape of an earth, Lina took a breath of the early morning air before bouncing back on the bed. Going over to the corner, she thought of an intricate designed table in cherry wood. Looking up and swirling her finger in the wind at the corner, a table appeared about waist high. Setting her bag on the table she brought out a well-worn book in another language. Looking down upon the title of the "Count of Monte Cristo", she moved the table to her bedside for better access, stowing her bag on the table next to the book. Going outside she decided to put up warning scrolls around her new perimeter and engage the last part of the training area.  
  
Minutes later and with a quirk of her lips she mentally read aloud the warning. This is a warning: NO TRESSPASSING! Trespass past this point and may you feel the crushing blow long after you leave this area a smarter person. Smiling she was satisfied, it was cryptic, but after they felt the gravity of her training area, they would not return. Returning to the center of the camp, Lina outstretched both hands and gathered energy for her next act. Slowly with infinite patience, Lina focused on the clear ball of great power and intricate spells. Finally satisfied that it was strong enough and would work on everyone, she let go of the ball that was now three feet across. As the ball hit the ground, a great rush of energy flowed over the ground and into the air, and stopped a mile and a half from the central position. Just where Lina planned and her warnings where posted. A yellow glow was sure to mark the location of the boundary line in case someone didn't head her message and to give him or her a second way out. Feeling the pressure of fifteen times normal gravity, Lina did some preliminary stretches to get used to the change. It had been almost three hundred years since the last time she had gravitized an area. With surprise Lina realized that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father was the last one she had trained under this field of power. "Humm. Interesting." Lina muttered to herself as she prepared to go after her wayward grandchildren. 


	8. Inuyasha’s introduction to the grav fiel...

Disclaimer: I hate these. I don't own anything but my car... wait a minute.. the bank owns my car. :::: wahhhhh::: Wow I didn't think I would get this far. Oh well on with the story.  
  
Chapter 8) Inuyasha's introduction to the grav field  
  
At god tree. Not far from the village~  
  
Inuyasha was so bored. It had been 4 days since he had last seen his grandmother and although he had known were she went, him and everyone else had been threatened with bodily harm if they went looking for her. Now looking out of his favorite spot on the god tree, he had to admit to feeling like he would go after her and be dammed the bodily harm. At least he would have something to do.  
  
Suddenly he was blown over, almost off his limb, as a massive gust of wind rolled over the forest. Getting a better grip, he hoisted himself back up to his sitting position and looked out into the forest where the wind had originated from. Suddenly he had the sneaking suspicion it was Lina's doing. She had gone off into the forest in that direction, and the last time something had happened to him unexpectedly, it had been due to her. Feeling the need to check the phenomenon out, Inuyasha set off in the direction Lina had taken to the North.  
  
After a few moments travel, he approached what appeared a row of warnings tacked with an unknown substance to several trees. He read the message with a quirked eyebrow, This is a warning: NO TRESSPASSING! Trespass past this point and may you feel the crushing blow long after you leave this area a smarter person, well what a weird message. Smelling it he detected his grandmother's scent and knew something was up. Walking cautiously past the warnings he strode no more than ten feet before he came across a barrier line in the forest floor. It looked like Lina's handiwork. The slightly curving line pulsed a golden yellow in contrast to the green grass below his feet. Curious, Inuyasha felt the line, but as his finger crossed it, it suddenly felt like it was weighed down by a rock. Looking up and more curious than ever, he extracted his finger and stood, bracing himself for only the gods know what, he stepped over the line.  
  
Immediately he fell to the ground and with only the utmost force, could move. His entire body felt weighted down for some reason, like a bolder much like the one Kagome had made him drop on himself, was pressing down upon every square inch of his body. After a time and with exquisite slowness, he inched on his belly, back over the line. Each part of him getting seriously lighter as he crossed the little yellow line until he could stand again. Gasping with fatigue, he realized what the crushing blow in the warning meant. He hoped this was just a deterrent against whatever Lina was doing. Looking up he wondered how far up the force went.  
  
(You will find out later anyway, but the grav. Field goes all the way up to space. So not even Naraku will fiddle with them while they are training. So don't expect any battles until after they train.)  
  
The training area~  
  
Lina looked up during her preparations. She felt Inuyasha's youkai and knew the force of the barrier had brought him here. Going outside of her lodge, Lina looked around and went off in the direction to the south that she felt Inuyasha. Running with no hurry in mind she went into the trees, as to surprise Inuyasha, when she came upon a surprise of her own.  
  
There on the forest floor not thirty feet from her was Inuyasha, diligently crawling for all he was worth, only half over the barrier line. Lina had to stifle a laugh at his predicament and decided that it might be better to use a small spell on him and Sesshomaru before bringing them into the training area. Just so she could get them into the main lodge before they felt the affects of the grav they were to be training in. It would really suck to not be able to see their reactions to there soon to be living space while they were struggling to even get into bed. Maybe she should even put a spell on each lodge so they would have a place to rest from the extra gravity after training. Deciding that this was a good idea, she hurriedly went back and wove the reverse incantation into the supporting rails of each structure before leaving again. Taking little time to do this, she was back by the time he was standing and looking quite puzzled at the yellow line of the barrier wall.  
  
Walking up to him out of the brush, Lina smiled indulgently. "I see you've encountered my new barrier. What do you think of it?" Lina crossed her arms, and stood in a pose frighteningly like the one Inuyasha currently stood in. "What the fuck was that anyway?" Inuyasha asked in a huff.  
  
"This is a grav field. Basically it will increase the gravity of any area I put it on. As much as I want or as little, depending on the occasion." Lina replied walking up to stand directly across from Inuyasha, but still in the barrier. "Is it just a deterrent? Or how wide is it really?" Inuyasha asked suspiciously. "The field is a full mile and a half in length. I shooed all the living creatures out of the area that couldn't take the gravity first. I will explain a lot later about why it is here. Do you know where your brother is?" Lina explained and then asked with a questioning face.  
  
"Last time I saw him, he was in a field to the south of the village with the little girl of his. They set up camp and Jaken is still mad at you by the way." Inuyasha said with a smirk.  
  
"Ahh yes the lovely Jaken. How we must make him happy. First his master is kidnapped and then he cannot complain about a little girl he tolerates. Then he finds out that his lord will do nothing about his insecurities. Humm I wonder if your brother still likes daises like he did when he was a little thing?" Lina said with sparkling eyes the whole way through. Chuckling at the look of utter amusement at the last part that rang through Inuyasha's expression. Lina grinned to herself in amusement. Inuyasha was getting more confident in the last few days she had been around. Maybe it was the unconscious suppression of Kagome's anger Lina was doing currently or the almost non existent sits, or maybe the knowledge that he was going to learn something new, or even maybe the knowledge that he was going to be better than his brother at something (Remember in the earlier chapters about how he has more potential to learn. Well this is a reference.) for once. Whatever it was, Lina liked the change in her grandson. Every man needed to be able to at least have a little confidence in himself somewhere.  
  
"He actually "liked" daises when he was little. The flowers?" Inuyasha asked, trying not to laugh.  
  
"Now Inuyasha, be good, I know a few embarrassing things about you too from when you were a pup. Don't laugh unless you want to be laughed at." Lina warningly told Inuyasha, trying to fight back a smile.  
  
"Yeah, but you know his little girl Rin?" Inuyasha questioned.  
  
"Yeah." Lina haltingly replied.  
  
"She is always making daisy chains into crowns for Sesshomaru's head or puts them into his hair, or something like that. I've caught him once wearing one and Rin is always talking to Kagome lately about how her Sesshomaru-sama just "loves" her crowns for him." Inuyasha laughingly said touching his hand over his heart and dramatizing little Rin's part.  
  
"Ok, Ok we need to get going you." Lina indulgently said as she stepped over the line. She tugged at one of Inuyasha's ears gently. Invoking the spell that would allow him to get to the lodge without the weight of the grav as she tugged. Turning, both Lina and Inuyasha made their way back to the village, while Lina had to fight down the image of a stone faced Sesshomaru with a white daisy crown and daises braided into his hair with a little Rin running around. Lips twitching madly Lina tried to not get too behind while her mind wandered over that little tid bit. 


	9. Activating the neck lass and a use of po...

Disclaimer: Once again I don't own anything. Sue bad, Sue bad, Sue very bad. No money, no sue.  
  
Chapter 9) Activating the neck lass and a use of power  
  
Sesshomaru's camp site~  
  
Sesshomaru looked on as Rin spun and twirled around Jaken a few feet from him. It was a nice day and Sesshomaru knew that this "setting up" that his grandmother had talked about would take time, but four days was starting to try his patience. He pondered a moment about where the sudden gust of wind a little while ago, could have come from. It would seem unusual for it to be that wind all of the sudden, for no reason, to come blowing down the mountains today. Looking up at the sky for a moment he pondered when he would have the chance to talk to his grandmother, since she had been so busy. Although he would admit it to no one, he really wanted to catch up on what she had been doing for the last half century at least. It had been a long time since he had last seen her and he had many questions, also she always seemed to know things.  
  
Sesshomaru made a mental note to asker her about some things that had been nagging him lately and about where she lived now, it sounded positively intriguing.  
  
Feeling the rush of his grandmother and Inuyasha's youkai approaching fast from the north. Sesshomaru stood up and leaving Rin and Jaken at the camp, walked through the trees a ways before coming into the clearing that Kaede's village rested in. Mentally he soured himself at the smell of so many humans in one place. He really disliked humans. The only ones he allowed himself to withstand was little Rin and Inuyasha's mate. Inuyasha's mate reminded him of his own Rin, sometimes fleetingly, the enthusiasm for life and their auras were similar at a basic level. But Rin was one he did not have to force a like. For some reason her smell, her personality, her soft eyes, even her absolute trust in him made him want to be near her, she even relaxed him. He knew someday she would grow into striking beauty and would age like so many other humans before her. At this chilling thought, Sesshomaru rubbed his hand over his heart subcouciously, as it ached for no reason. Sometimes Sesshomaru wished he could make her youkai or at least hanyou so she would not leave him. Mentally sighing, Sesshomaru glided towards the hut of the village miko, knowing his grandmother and half- brother would arrive soon.  
  
Lina smiled knowingly as she caught her grandson's thoughts from across the forest. She just "knew" he would have a soft spot for someone. No one could last as long as Sesshomaru without attachment somewhere. Mentally she noted too much later, tell Sesshomaru that there was a way to convert a human. Lina also noted that she wouldn't tell Sesshomaru about the family telepathy just yet. It might work out to her advantage to be able to tell the emotions behind his mask of indifference, or at least until she loosened him up a bit.  
  
Lina also made another mental note to the first one, to tell Inuyasha, that there was a way to turn him into a full demon if he liked, but he would have to master control first. Maybe Lina would even tell them both about the spell she knew of that would change them into a being much like herself. Wouldn't they be pleased if they could turn human, hanyou, and youkai in appearance but keep all of the youkai abilities and life span with no problems? Humm, this would even help Kagome, since she would be Inuyasha's mate some day she was sure.  
  
Done with her mental notes, Lina caught up with Inuyasha as he bounded out of the tree line and down to Kaede's hut.  
  
Looking around, Lina noticed that Sesshomaru had come to meet her as well, and was leaning against the corner of the hut in an indifferent posture. Smiling at him she entered the hut. "Hello all." Lina said to the general assembly. "Hello." Was said back in a variety of ways, several with the Sama tacked on the end for good measure.  
  
Looking down, Lina noticed that Kagome was still wearing the pendant and went over to sit beside her.  
  
"What are you doing this fine day Kagome?" Lina asked as she looked at the girl who was in vain, doing some algebra homework in front of her.  
  
Touching her shoulder Lina activated the locking spell on the pendant with a mental laugh as she set the vocal word to "Sit" and the mental one to "Speak". Smiling down for real, Lina looked at the book and gave Kagome several answers.  
  
Kagome looked up with gratitude as Lina helped her finish her algebra homework.  
  
Suddenly retreating to the other side of the room, Lina smiled evilly and got everyone's attention. "In sportsman like fashion, I have something to tell you that I'm sure you will not like, or at least some of you." Lina began, as she got a questioning look from Inuyasha near the door.  
  
"One. I am going to take Inuyasha and Sesshomaru alone for a few weeks for their training." Lina looked around and seemed to get no real reaction. "When we get back I will tell all of you, of a way I can help you speed up your shard hunt." Lina said with a quelling look at all those whose mouth opened. "But not until we get back."  
  
"Next. I have been not entirely truthful about the pendant around Kagome's neck at this time." Lina said to the gasp of almost all and a worried look from Kagome. Kagome tried to take the chain off but much like Inuyasha's it glowed pink when she fiddled with the clasp or tried to lift if over her head. "What have you done?" Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo asked all at once.  
  
"You could say I've leveled the playing field a little." Lina said with a chilling smirk. Everyone got chills but Inuyasha and looked at Lina suspiciously. Smiling brightly, Lina admonished them all. "Now how unfair of you to act. You have brought bodily harm to Inuyasha countless times without almost a care to his welfare. Treating him like a bad dog and not thinking a thing about it." With a scowl Lina looked at all of them. Everyone seemed to be getting chastised quite well, even looking down in shame. "Kagome's spell will not harm her at all in the way it does Inuyasha and Kagome will for once feel a bit of the humiliation of not being able to control her own body by the whisper of a simple word." Lina said to all. Looking over at Inuyasha and looking back, she noticed a look of shame on Kagome's face and a bit of real worry peaking through.  
  
"Will you come over here a moment Inuyasha?" Lina questioned her grandson, as he pushed off the wall near the entrance and walked over to her side.  
  
"Now stand here and face Kagome please." Lina directed Inuyasha as she turned him to face the others and to look at Kagome from across the fire pit. "Now I want you to say this one simple word. Just to try it out, and we will let everyone see what this really does, why don't we?" Lina said with a pregnant pause and an evil light creeping into her eyes.  
  
Turning to Kagome's now frightened face with satisfaction. Lina said, "SIT!" "Oh no." Kagome said. As comprehension dawned on Inuyasha as he looked at Kagome.  
  
Smiling widely, Inuyasha said, "Sit." With much satisfaction. The pendant and neck lass began to glow an aqua blue and the pendant became more alive. The glassy surface rotating and wind swept clouds drifted across its earthlike surface.  
  
Cringing, Kagome looked up at Inuyasha. Puzzled at the feeling of no pain. Lina looking at Kagome's face, indulgently repeated, " I told you it would not bodily harm you in any way now didn't I?"  
  
Looking at Inuyasha with glee. Lina waited for Kagome to try to deny it.  
  
Kagome was struck for a moment mentally. No matter how much she tried or how much she thought. She couldn't lie. She just couldn't, not even to herself. This was a real revelation that was sure. "Yes." Kagome finally replied after much self-battle. Looking up at Lina, Kagome suddenly knew that Lina knew what she was going through. "It's a truth spell." Kagome said to no one in particular. Everyone gasped. "Yes it is." Lina said with a small smile. "And no matter how hard you try, Inuyasha is the only one who can activate and deactivate the spell. You will only be able to speak the truth while it is active,"Lina said now openly grinning, then pointing to make her point dramatically, "you cant even think a lie while activated."  
  
Now this made Kagome rather pale. Lina reminded herself that as soon as Inuyasha could use his mental powers, that even if she tried to silence him, he could think the command to make the neck lass work. Oh how satisfying this was, Lina had no qualms about leveling the playing field for one of her own. Kagome could still subdue Inuyasha. She just couldn't lie about why anymore.  
  
Looking around the room at the shocked faces and angry ones starting. Lina reminded them again of the purpose of this exercise. "Now everyone. You can be as mad as me as you like." Telling a small lie she continued, " Not even Inuyasha knew fully about the pendant." Looking around again she continued. "The pendant doesn't hurt Kagome in any way, it will even make a more truthful person out of her in the end and help protect her." Lina looked around and decided that she had said her piece and that she would take Sesshomaru and Inuyasha as soon as the goodbyes were said and the small ones were settled. "Now Inuyasha." Lina said turning to her grandson again. "Please say "Release"."  
  
Looking up, she knew he didn't want to say the word. She decided to prompt him mentally.  
  
+Come now Inuyasha. You can't ask her real questions now anyway. I will give you time later before we leave to ask her any two questions you want before we go. I need to teach you how to connect with the neck lass in a little bit anyway so you can say the mental word to activate it. + Lina studied his face for a while, as the last bit of that seemed to sink into Inuyasha's head for a minute. +You mean I don't have to actually say, "Sit" when I want her to tell the truth? I can do it without her knowing about it? + Inuyasha thought back surprised. +Yes that is true, Its "Speak" mentally by the way. If the miko that had created your subduing rosary had been a little stronger, you could be controlled the same way Inuyasha. So don't sound so happy. + Lina warned as the slightly worried look passed quickly across his face. Finally Inuyasha spoke. "Release."  
  
Lina looked over at Kagome and saw her frightened look. She could almost hear Kagome's hysterical thoughts about not being able to control herself or keep a secret again.  
  
Consolingly Lina spoke to Kagome. "Calm down Kagome. Think for a moment. Breath. " After a few minutes, Lina continued. "Now think of all the times you told Inuyasha to sit and he couldn't do anything about it. This is only fair and you know it." Lina watched as sympathy, rage, and then understanding slowly crept across her facial expressions.  
  
"Now that that is over." Lina turned to everyone. Noting the understanding look on Kagome's face, the worried and mad look on Miroku and Sango's faces and the hurt look Shippo was sending her. Lina looked then at Inuyasha who was now sharing an almost respectful gaze with Kagome. "After a little while, I will be taking Inuyasha and Sesshomaru into the forest to an area I've designated to train them." Looking for understanding from everyone. Lina motioned for anyone who would follow to come outside. Lina stood and once outside, spotted Sesshomaru, and walked over towards him.  
  
"Do you want me to make a temporary lodging for your charges before we leave? Or do you have any specific plans for the two while we are gone. It will take several weeks." Quirking her eyebrow, Lina waited for her grandson to answer.  
  
  
  
Taking it all in, Sesshomaru came to a quick decision. "I will send Jaken home to bring Ah-Um (I think that's the creatures name) back for Rin. She will be going home for the weeks I will be gone."  
  
Nodding her understanding, Lina snapped her fingers, and with a rush of wind. A slightly disoriented Rin and Jaken appeared at Sesshomaru's side. "Just to speed things up. Here are your charges. If you would like me to. I could transport both of them to the castle right away. It is in the same spot isn't it?" Lina questioned the surprised Sesshomaru. Who still couldn't puzzle out how she had transported them so fast. Looking around she noticed the startled gasps at the swiftness she had transported the two without a thought. At Sesshomaru's nod, Lina began explaining to everyone what she was about to do, although Kagome and Inuyasha didn't need one. "Ok all. This is called "Instant transmission", looking around she made sure everyone was paying attention before continuing, "as soon as Jaken and Rin are able to touch my leggings and hold on, I can transport them anywhere in the world, If I know of a life force to focus on." Feeling like a teacher, she continued," This is an advanced technique that I will be teaching Inuyasha and Sesshomaru during their training." Looking around she noted the gleam in Sesshomaru's eye, the only indication that he was listening and found it exciting. Rin came skipping up to Lina with big eyes and soon latched onto Lina at the request of Sesshomaru and a promise to come straight back when he could. Jaken was a little harder. Getting him to touch her, after the little silence incident, required the steely look of Sesshomaru to accomplish. Once both were in position. Lina looked up and quickly asked if he would like to accompany them quickly to the palace and then return. With a look on interest he agreed. "Now everyone hold tight and do not let go, because if you do, I could loose you at any point between here and there." Lina warned as Rin and Jaken clung to her legs and Sesshomaru loosely held a lock of her hair. Looking up quickly, Lina tuned herself to the living barrier that surrounded the Inu castle. Since she had created it so long ago, she knew exactly where to focus to get the closest to the castle gates.  
  
Looking at Sesshomaru in the eye on last time for good measure. She put her finger to her forehead and they winked out, in front of the startled crowd of people. 


	10. The Inu castle and family questions

Disclaimer: How I hate these things. No I do not own Inuyasha. I wish I did. but I don't. Sorry all.  
  
Chapter 10) The Inu castle and family questions.  
  
The Inu castle~  
  
In a sudden flash, four people appeared at the barrier, a short distance in front of the Inu castle. Much to the shock and dismay of its occupants. Guards hustled about and took up hurried defensive positions.  
  
Looking around the castle in a curious manner, Lina raised her eyebrow in inquiry, as she looked back into her grandson's eyes, before turning forward with a regal air. Before anyone could react or even recognize their lord, Lina held up two fingers.  
  
Seeing the pulse of energy that looked like his whip attack, Sesshomaru speculated at it when it turned a bright blue color. Waiting to see this new technique, and the amusement he was sure to get, seeing his vassals pummeled unsuspectingly, he waited and fought down amusement.  
  
Suddenly Lina pointed her fingers to the ground and a large pulse of energy rocked out from her hand and into the ground. A blue wall of pulsing energy suddenly appeared to engulfed the surrounding space a good distance from the four and rocket out and up from them and through the valley and through the castle itself in a rush, before disappearing.  
  
Looking up at the walls of the castle. Sesshomaru noticed the amused look on his grandmother's face as she looked up and around, smiling when she couldn't see the guards anymore. As his grandmother detangled herself from his servant and Rin, Sesshomaru let go of the hair he had been unconsciously still holding. She then strode up to the gates and with a small laugh, jumped over the wall and into the courtyard. Following her example, Sesshomaru delicately lifted Rin onto his back and secured her, then lifted Jaken under his arm before jumping up and over.  
  
Lina looked in amusement at the castle she had seen built, so many years ago. Much had changed, but the feel of it the same. The outer walls were still a granite gray color, but there were several new additions to the castle since she was here last. Noting the new banners hung from the castle walls and glass windows now gracing the upper levels, she inhaled and noted all the new smells about her. Chuckling she looked around at all the stunned servants who were twitching on the castle floor. Feeling satisfaction that the attack had only stunned the servants, like intended, she headed along with a now amused grandson, into the main hall. Looking up she could feel and almost see Sesshomaru holding back his mirth at the outcome. "I don't get you fluffy." Lina teased her grandson. Getting a raised brow expression, Lina continued. "I would be more worried about your people being taken out so easily, than how they look on the floor." Lina's mouth hitched up at the corners, at the stone expression on his face and the humored feel he radiated.  
  
A few minutes later~  
  
Everyone had regained a note of mobility, along with recognition of their lords' return.  
  
Jaken was ordering people about, and Sesshomaru was getting Rin settled back into her room.  
  
Lina was waiting outside the gates; smiling at the suspicious looks the guards were giving her from atop the walls.  
  
Turning, Lina walked out a few more steps from the castle and around some trees not far away, yet still inside the barrier, until she was before the barrier that surrounded the castle grounds. Turning, and making sure no one was looking, Lina looked at her hands a moment. Willing herself centered, Lina's hands started to glow with a faint purplish iridescence. Closing her eyes, Lina raised her hands to the barrier, but unlike the time before when she had gone through the barrier like there was nothing at all. Her hands connected with the barrier and sitting, with her hands still against it, Lina started to converse with the wall.  
  
"Hello Rumio, how have you been these last few centuries?" Lina closed her eyes and turning around, Lina leaned against the barrier wall, while her hands seemed to return to normal. "Nothing much mistress." A low baritone rumbled around Lina from the wall behind her. "Oh? That's not what I heard." Lina responded with a small laugh. "I heard that my grandson was being a naughty one and that you have had a few experiences with the reincarnated evil again. Care to refute me old friend." Chuckling, Rumio keeper of the Inu defense barrier, materialized out of the barrier beside the resting Lina, just so he could be more than vocal during their conversation.  
  
Looking over Lina's grin widened at the image of her old friend. Rumio was always one to capture the ladies. His ocean blue eyes twinkled from his handsome face, as the midnight black hair cascaded down his back, all the way to his butt. His clothing of black pants and white billowy shirt looked good against his tanned countenance. "Its nothing I can't handle. You know me. I can take anything." Rumio scolded Lina as he rested against the barrier as well, looking out at the castle. "Settled down yet with Trine?" Lina asked the demon that was a part and protector of the household. "Finally yes." Rumio answered Lina as he looked over at the castle, a dreamy look overcoming him. "Its about time. " Lina asked suddenly overjoyed for her friend and the girl she knew he had been in love with for centuries. Picturing the pretty dog demon with the red hair and sparkling green eyes, that Rumio had fallen for, she looked over at him. "Do you have any pups yet? I didn't even stay long at the castle this time so I didn't look." Lina said matter of factly, looking at her friend she noted a slight look of annoyance pass across his face. "We don't live in the castle anymore. We have our own home not far from here. " Rumio said to Lina with exasperation. "I told you that if she ever had me, I would move out of the castle. I like my privacy you know." Rumio said exasperated and looked over at the now puzzled Lina, watching as excitement crept into her blue eyes. "You built the house? Really? I thought you weren't into all those protective spells I taught you. Did you work it into the glass as well?" Lina asked in concern, looking into the bemusement creeping into his gaze. Breafly Lina pictured the home Rumio had showed her in blue prints a long time ago in his castle room. The traditional French cottage look was one Lina had inspired in him when she had told him of her travels one time. He was fascinated by the ornate trim and stained glass windows that surrounded the home. The gardens that usually graced the homes was no surprise in the decision he had made of designes as well. Rumio, Lina knew, loved flowers, any kind of flowers. He had a talent for growing things as well as barrier spells and used it to his advantage, sometimes growing a few dozen roses out of a single bush overnight for his lady love. Only to present them to her come morning with a message on her pillow. He had done this to Trine many a time, Lina recalled. "Yes it's exactly like I told you I wanted it. It even has the stained glass windows with spell guards on them. "Rumio continued with a knowing expression. "Yes we have pups. Two of them if you really want to know." Rumio sniffed, raising his head with his nose in the air, as he tried to fight back a hug at the loving expression from his friend. "So are you going to teach your line a thing or two again?" Rumio asked the now chasted Lina. Getting serious, Lina looked at her friend and nodded. "I hope they are ready. Interestingly enough, Inuyasha holds the most promise." Lina returned, whispering at the end. Rumio nodded and began to stand as he felt Sesshomaru's youkai leave Rin's room to meet Lina outside. "I must return to my post before your grandson returns."  
  
"I hope you are keeping my barrier in tact my friend." Lina said teasingly to Rumio as he readied to return to the barrier wall. "I want you to keep your position in the household, although most don't know how long you have really been here do they? Are you becoming a wizened old wizard before your time my friend?" Lina questioned her friend in a teasing manner, as he made a face at her and stepped into the barrier.  
  
"He never could take my teasing for some reason." Lina spoke to herself in a thoughtful manner, long after Rumio had returned to the wall. She only hoped that her summoning spell hadn't gotten him in trouble with her grandson. No telling what Rumio was doing to the wall when she had interrupted his work. Maybe she should strengthen it when she returned next time.  
  
Pondering this she was almost surprised by the fact that her grandson was almost upon her before she realized it.  
  
Looking up she noted the relaxed feel of his aura as he returned to her. Pondering this she decided that Rin had caused this. Mentally smiling she knew that in a few years, if he didn't accomplish it himself, she would have to come back and maybe meddle a little in her stiff grandson's life. Mischifously smiling at her unsuspecting grandson, to his now wary hesitation. Lina held out her hand. "Are you ready to return Sesshomaru? "  
  
"Not yet grams." Sesshomaru said softly.  
  
Lina looked at him surprised. She had known that her grandsons would have to be careful in this land during these dark times, but she had just now started to realized how much of a barrier her two grandson's were putting upon their natural emotions. Frowning mentally, as to not worry Sesshomaru, she stated to herself that this would simply "not do". No one should have to conceal their softer feelings and affections for so long, for fear of discovery. The need to clear up this trouble with her grandsons hardened into steel determination to protect her clan.  
  
"What did you want to do then pup?" Lina questioned her grandson with affection.  
  
"Could we just walk for awhile, I wanted to catch up on some things with you." Sesshomaru hesitantly spoke, as he controlled his facial features into a mask of indifference.  
  
Knowing this was a learned reaction, Lina let it slide. Walking beside him and heading east, Lina looked up calmly waiting.  
  
"So what have you been doing grams?" Sesshomaru started.  
  
"I have been traveling the world. Mainly catching up with relations in other lands." Lina responded, getting a questioning feeling from him, Lina continued. "You have cousins I would like you to meet after our training Sesshomaru. I can arrange a meeting of all the clans if you like?" Lina questioned her grandson, feeling his curiosity.  
  
"That would be interesting." Sesshomaru replied. "How many continents do we have relations on and how many different youkai exist in our family anyway?" Sesshomaru questioned with his mask firmly in place.  
  
"We have family on every continent Sesshomaru and there are so many different youkai that I cannot name them all. We have a rather large family you know." Lina said, letting it sink in awhile before continuing. "There have been quite a few inquires from this generation, to meet other family. So there would be many there, although," Lina paused for effect," you would have to promise like everyone else, not to kill anyone there." Lina looked up at the now intrigued face of her grandson. Reveling in the fact that he could not hold his expression at the new information. "Do you still want to meet them?" Lina asked inquiringly. Looking up she saw the almost feeling of excitement from her grandson, very muffled by control.  
  
"Yes I think I would." Sesshomaru answered. Looking ahead he contemplated the fact that he had family all over the world that he had never met before. It was an astounding revelation. "Do I have relations on this continent you reside on now?" Sesshomaru asked his grandmother as they reached the path in the woods that would take them back. Looking back at his home, Sesshomaru inwardly sighed at the picture it made with the backdrop of the mountains and rolling hills they had just transversed to the tree line, before returning his attention to his grandmother. He missed his home every time he left it lately without Rin as company, and then mentally smacked himself at his weakness for the human child's company.  
  
Feeling his mental struggle, Lina answered his question and sent him a wave of comfort to her grandson, making sure he couldn't feel the small push at his mind. "Yes there many relatives there. In that land though, they are not called youkai, but animal spirits. " Lina answered, making sure to keep his attention as they walked. "I live inside a small hill home, in an area (Think lord of the rings and hobbit homes. Use that mental picture.) where the grasslands get so tall that you cannot see above the stalks as you walk across the plains. "Lina said dreamily as she continued to recount her home. "The people there respect the land and only take what they need. The storms are fierce and tornados are common and the youkai there are respected and rarely feared. But anyone would think their home is the only place to be."Lina stopped with a knowing look at her grandson.  
  
Sesshomaru got the sudden eerie feeling that she somehow knew what he had been feeling a while ago. Shrugging it off, since she had always seemed to know things about people, Sesshomaru continued with his grandmother towards Kaede's village. Looking over at her he pondered some other things about his grandmother, but decided to wait before asking, since they had a ways to go, and for the first time in almost a century, he felt relaxed enough to just walk with her and enjoy the day.  
  
  
  
  
  
Yes I know. Sesshomaru is kinda out of character, but what if he had similar insecurities as his brother about the current state of danger he is in. He is a lord for chissakes and has emotions. Oh and just so you know. Sesshomaru and Lina aren't walking at a normal human pace. They are youkai, sheesh, so the time frame will be smaller than maybe lets say a few hours instead of days difference from the next scene, they might even race. Sorry it took so long to update. Been getting my furnace fixed. 


	11. The return and Kagome’s bad decision

" @@@ " character speaking  
  
+ @@@ + character thinking or telepathy  
  
::: @@@ ::: character action  
  
Chapter 11) The return and Kagome's bad decision.  
  
  
  
Kaede's village an hour after Lina left ~  
  
"Where the hell are those two? I thought Lina said they would come right back and I know it doesn't take that long to get their with her magic." Inuyasha growled impatiently from his sitting spot beside Kagome as they rested beside a stream not far from Kaede's village.  
  
"Give them a break Inuyasha. They could just be taking awhile to settle Rin." Kagome chasted him gently. She looked up into his barely concealed, worried face.  
  
Giving into her instinctual need to comfort the worried dog boy, Kagome turned and hugged him. Sputtering and red faced, Inuyasha slowly relaxed in her affectionate hold.  
  
::: Sigh::: +God she smells good. +::: Rubs face into Kagome's hair. ::: +Stop that! Focus. You need to keep your distance from her. You don't want to put her in harms way, but gods she feels good. +  
  
Pulling back Inuyasha looks at Kagome, hiding his longing look, before she turns towards his gaze and releases him.  
  
Flustered, both Kagome and Inuyasha face back to the stream in silence.  
  
Inuyasha suddenly perks up as a faint feel of his grandmother's youkai catches his attention. Without warning, Lina is streaking past them at mock speeds, pulsing with a blue glow. Kagome realizing that Lina was racing again, and that she recognized the song this time, and that Lina seems to actually be pulsing to the beat. (Star guitar by the chemical brothers if anyone wanted to know.) Upon ruffling some hair and a quick, "Hey kids." Lina streaked past as a shocking sight appeared out of the trees on the opposite bank. Sesshomaru was sweating profusely and seemed to be winded, racing after his grandmother as fast as he could go.  
  
A few seconds later, and a sudden shout from a small distance away of "I win. Ha fast! You are such a sore loser. GHAAA!!!! GET OFF FLUFFY!!!" Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other, stared off for a while longer and then started laughing. Tumbling over onto each other, Inuyasha couldn't stop giggling. "BWAHAHA!!! Did you see the look on his face? Fluffy!!! BWAHAHAHA!!!" This lasted for several minutes until, still shaking with mirth, Kagome and Inuyasha made their way back to the village.  
  
Entering the space near Kaede's hut, no one was shocked at the small scuffle that appeared to be happening on the ground.  
  
:::Giggle::: "Get off Sesshomaru!"  
  
:::Mock growl::: "I don't think so. You cheated. I know you cheated."  
  
Giggling some more, Lina mock fought with her grandson, happy that he seemed to be showing some emotion to the shocked crowd of Inuyasha's companions. Flipping him over onto his back, Lina trapped her grandson's tail in mock triumph. "Ha got ya pinned. Now lets see ya get outta that one."  
  
Struggling against his grandmother's foot with a look of pure annoyance, noting her pinning his poor fluffy tail to the ground, he growled in frustration when broot force didn't work to free him. Finally giving up he stopped struggling, and lay they're, breathing heavily from the exertion of the combined race and struggle.  
  
+Lets race she says. Its not far she says. How fast can you go she asks? I just had to go out and brag that I would be able to keep up if not beat her. Stupid! + Sesshomaru looked up at the shocked faces of his half brother and companions before he came back to himself and regained his tattered dignity. Smiling Lina released his poor tail. Standing, Sesshomaru patted off his kimono and looked at his grandmother, noting her cool knowing look. She wasn't even winded he thought to himself in disgust.  
  
Lina looked at her grandson in amusement, noting his now stony face. Laughing internally, she was happy to have cracked his emotionless barrier after a few moments of their race. Congratulating herself at the success of her race, she looked over at everyone else. Smiling now at everyone, she casually commented. "If you had just ran a two day journey in less than an hour, you'd be winded too wouldn't ya?" Seeing Sesshomaru sweat drop at the incredulous looks of everyone but Lina, Lina turned and walked over to Kaede's hut and entered. Sitting down Lina noted that Kaede was there. Nodding her head respectfully, Lina waited for everyone else.  
  
"So ye are the one I have heard so much about today." Kaede sagely commented to Lina.  
  
"Good things I hope. " Lina said with a teasing light in her eyes. "Most of it is except for the pendant that the lady Kagome now wears." Kaede said with a look of understanding in her eyes. She seemed to know Lina's reasons for this and decided she liked the elder youkai. Everyone else, except for Sesshomaru who leaned against a side of the entrance, settled into the hut.  
  
"So when are we going to train already?" Inuyasha questioned his grandmother with a questioning, yet serious expression.  
  
" As soon as we plan what everyone else will be doing before we leave." Looking around at the pondering expressions of the others, Lina spoke to Kagome. "Were you going to go back to your time Kagome? Or were you going to help the others to shard hunt? I'm sure we will be coming to the village a few times during our training." Lina said before adding with a sly smile Inuyasha's way, "I'm also sure Inuyasha would like to keep in touch with everyone. Training can be so lonely sometimes." Seeing a blush stain Inuyasha's face, Lina put a finger to her lips and Inuyasha could only make small sounds. Glaring at Lina, Inuyasha sat there mortified. Kagome blushing also, decided to answer before Inuyasha's grandmother got further out of hand. "I guess I was thinking of going home for awhile and visiting on the weekends. Catch up on my schoolwork you know." Kagome rushed out quickly.  
  
Knowing that under the force of his embarrassment and his anger, the spell wouldn't hold, Lina plugged her ears, waiting for the explosion she knew would erupt.  
  
"WHAT!!! No way can you be gone that long. I knew I should have closed that dam well." Inuyasha stormed in a loud yell. His face going all red for another all to different reason than his previous embarrassment.  
  
Seconds later, no one could quite say who shouted it first, and explosion of "SIT!" was heard. Inuyasha went face first into the floor and Kagome's rosary lit up like a Christmas tree.  
  
A sudden evil smirk flitted across Inuyasha's face as a look of anger filled Kagome's face. Slowly a little worry started to work across as she remembered about the cursed pendant.  
  
A sudden succession of "Sit, Sit, Siiiiiiiiiiiittttttttt!" was heard by all. "Bye all but I think I should start my way home now." Kagome rushed out, as Inuyasha cursed from the floor. "I don't think that was a good Idea Kagome." Lina said to the girl as she hefted her pack and ran out the door.  
  
  
  
Counting down to twenty in her mind, Lina waited for her grandson to erupt. Even if he got sat now, he would find a way to keep her on this side until she answered some questions. Worriedly Lina thought about the fact that the subduing bracelet might have been a better prize for them. Mentally shrugging, she continued counting. When she reached one, Inuyasha with a great growl, jumped up and rushed past his brother and out towards the well. 


	12. The truth will send you to home school

Chapter 12) The truth will send you to home school  
  
Kagome rushed as fast as her feet would take her with her heavy backpack. She had left the bike in her speed to get away. The pendant still glowed and even though she wanted to go home, and knew that sooner or later she would have to confront Inuyasha. But not until he cooled down, she didn't think that was a good idea.  
  
Seeing the clearing that the well was in, she sped up, and thought she would taste freedom. A small leap from the well, she was yanked back, her back pack spinning to the clearing edge, and cleanly pinned by the now unhappy hanyou.  
  
Smiling with a touch of anger down at the girl, Inuyasha sagely told Kagome his thoughts. "Now, now Kagome. You can't leave so soon, now can you? That's just impolite, and in the position you are in." Grinning now with his foresight and telling himself he should have thought of it sooner, he looked down at the girl pinned beneath him. Hands holding her arms to her sides and knees pining her legs in place, she couldn't sit him without bodily harming herself. Catching himself purring in satisfaction, Inuyasha studied her. She seemed to be in almost a state of shock. Her eyes wide with comprehension at the helpless position and the fact that she couldn't lie to him. Oh he was going to have fun now. No sitting and only the bold truth from her.  
  
Thinking frantically, Kagome could only gape at Inuyasha. He almost seemed deliriously happy now. Although in her now unlying state, couldn't really blame him for his reaction. She would love to be able to make him speak his thoughts without lies too. But she still did need to catch up on her schoolwork; she was just so seriously behind it wasn't even remotely funny. Although sometimes she had thought over the last year about kinda quitting. She was away so much that most of her teachers knew her mother and grandfather by their first names. She was rarely in class and long distance learning just didn't sit well with her. Her grandfather had come up with a good excuse finally and now being declared a severe diabetic, (a family friend had helped out) her school was thinking of letting her home school anyway. Studying the hanyou with a cringe, Kagome readied herself for him to begin.  
  
Raising his eyebrows at the now determined yet resigned look on her face, he decided to start with her.  
  
"Oi Kagome, why do you have to go home so much?" Inuyasha waited as a series of emotions flashed across her face.  
  
"I am seriously behind on my schoolwork and I want to see my family." Kagome said outright with a defensive expression. Knowing she couldn't lie, Inuyasha nodded his head.  
  
"You are here so often though Kagome. Why do you keep trying to go to school anyway? You are always complaining about being so far behind you will never catch up. So why try?" At this question with a raised brow and toothy smile. Kagome seemed to be really struggling. Smiling wider at this, Inuyasha waited.  
  
As if it seemed to be wretched unwillingly from her brain, Kagome spoke," I don't really have to go back to school. They are trying to get me to home school, or just drop out." Cringing now with pain in her eyes at the absolutely gleeful look on Inuyasha's face. She waited for him to speak.  
  
"And you didn't fucking tell me this? This is fucking great." A look of anger briefly flashed across his face, as he seemed to let his good luck over ride it.  
  
"Ok now." Inuyasha looked meaningfully at her for a moment and seemed to think awhile for his next question.  
  
"Why do you let that Hojo guy hang around you so much?" Inuyasha raised his eyebrows and seemed to wait.  
  
"I don't. He just doesn't seem to get the clue that I don't want to go out with him." Kagome sighed at this and grimaceing looked at Inuyasha inquireingly. At this statement, Inuyasha's brows furrowed and he seemed to be filing that answer away before his expression cleared and locked onto her again.  
  
Suddenly a thought occurred to him, and his face got serious. Looking down upon the girl he had wanted for the whole of two stress filled years. He thought now was a good a time as any and asked the question he had been pondering for awhile. "Do you care anything for me Kagome?"  
  
Different shocked looks seemed to flit across her now worried expression; fear flitted briefly into her scent. This reaction seemed to be a bit extreme to Inuyasha. Why would she fear this one question? Looking down at her with a brief look of longing. He waited.  
  
Kagome was shocked for a few seconds, thinking hurriedly, she couldn't lie to herself, and she couldn't lie to him. Fear reared its head for a moment, until she looked up at his face and quieted. The look of longing she almost didn't see, comforted her as nothing could. She decided to tell the total, no holds barred, truth.  
  
"You could say that." With a look of complete serenity flashing through her eyes, the next few words were shocking and totally life altering to the hanyou. "I love you Inuyasha."  
  
A look of complete shock and then unadulterated joy took over his face. Then realizing that she was waiting for something in return. He hesitantly said, " I.. I... I care for you as well Kagome."  
  
Knowing Inuyasha the way she did, Kagome decided that this was enough for now and hugged the excited hanyou to herself.  
  
Both hugging and affectionate after this revelation, they stayed there for awhile in complete oblivion to everything.  
  
"Please don't go." Inuyasha whispered with a strange onset of feeling and a pleading expression.  
  
"I'm not leaving you for long. I promise I'll be back. I'll never leave you." Kagome said to the hanyou above her, who she was currently squeezing the breath out of.  
  
"Will you let me go for a week and see if I can home school? Then I can come back and stay with you for the other two weeks of your training. Ok?" Kagome asked Inuyasha, who was now nuzzling the side of her neck.  
  
"Your getting better bitch. You are finally trying to compromise with me for once." Inuyasha said as he raised his head smiling and looked down at Kagome with an almost tender expression.  
  
"Ill still be going to school Inuyasha." Kagome warned with a finger pointed at him. "I just will be doing it at home."  
  
"That just means I can visit you while you are at school now. Doesn't it? And your grandfather will stop with the excuses you are always complaining about.?" Inuyasha asked Kagome with raised eyebrows. Since Kagome told him that he couldn't come to school with her mainly because of the way he looked. Since her school would be at home now, the visiting wouldn't matter.  
  
"True, True." Kagome giggled, remembering several of the excuses her grandfather had cooked up. Brightening up a little more, she thought of the fact that the friends she had, and didn't hardly know anymore, wouldn't be asking her about all her ailments and confusing her to no end anymore.  
  
Smiling and thinking about all the facts. She decided that she would finally have had to decide to do home schooling or drop out anyway. As it is, her friends from school were hardly her friends anymore anyway, so she didn't feel bad about leaving them anymore. All her friends where here now she acknowledged.  
  
Inuyasha satisfied at this new turn of events, Inuyasha rose to his feet and helped Kagome up. Inuyasha looked at Kagome, holding her hand he looked seriously into her now radiant expression decided to ask for a promise, since she pretty much always kept a promise. "Do you "PROMISE!" to be back in a week?"  
  
"Yes I promise Inuyasha." Kagome looked up into her hanyou's eyes with complete trust and remembered the notes from a few months back. (Read my prequil story for the information you are missing.) Thinking to herself she questioned. Was he that insecure about himself? Was he so insecure in the love of anyone and fear that Naraku could take that love away? Thinking this through, she had to acknowledge to herself, some of those things which she knew about him. He had been belittled most of his life, so the insecure thing was a no brainer and Naraku would scare anyone. So she decided to work with him.  
  
Looking down at Kagome, Inuyasha felt almost giddy. She loved him. She really loved him. Smiling to himself, he decided to work with her and let her go for the week. If she didn't come back in a week, he would ask Lina to go after her. He knew she would let him. He trusted Kagome with his life. He would let her go and maybe get to visit her more often, since she would be at home anyway. Life was getting good. He was going to learn some kick ass stuff, the girl he loved had told him she loved him, his brother wasn't trying to steal the tetsaiga, and Naraku seemed to be quite right now.  
  
Retrieving her bag. Inuyasha brought it to Kagome and with both of them smiling now, they went to the well.  
  
"Now remember you promised." Inuyasha said almost pleadingly down to Kagome.  
  
"Yes I know. I will." Kagome answered and then looked down at the ground and questioned hesitantly, " Will you turn the spell off?"  
  
"Oh. I forgot." Inuyasha said with a small sheepish grin on his face. "Release."  
  
The pendant stopped glowing and Kagome looked up at Inuyasha with a grin. She felt great for the first time in a long time. Looking over at the well and back, she slung the pack over her shoulder before looking back into Inuyasha's golden eyes.  
  
Looking down at her face he decided to go with his instincts and he kissed her. It started off as a slight brushing of lips, but soon got much deeper. Kissing until they had to breath, Kagome and Inuyasha seemed a little shook up and dazed.  
  
"Well I guess Ill go now." Kagome said in a slightly breathless voice.  
  
"Just remember to come back." Inuyasha said in an almost offhanded fashion as feelings flowed through his body for a time.  
  
Kagome went over and with a dazed wave, jumped into the well.  
  
Inuyasha stared at where she had disappeared for a time. Sitting down abruptly a small distance in front of the well, he touched his lips briefly, recounting the kiss. He felt hot all over, some things protesting the abrupt departure of the cause.  
  
+Dam, not even Kikyo could do that to me. I wonder..+ Stopping that train of thought before he decided to jump down the well after her. Inuyasha stood and not really paying any attention, made his way back to the village. 


	13. The return and the Kitsune gets to train...

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.  
  
Shout out: Rom ~ thanks for reviewing and to answer your questions. Yes Rumio will be in later chapters. Yes this will be over before Rin in grown up. Lastly yes I am thinking about a sequel. I think about Sessy and Rin, but probably will include all of them. I'm not quite sure yet.  
  
Chapter 13) The return and the Kitsune gets to train too?  
  
Back at Kaede's hut~  
  
Everyone was waiting after the sudden departure of the very angry hanyou. Miroku and Sango had come to a temporary truce and were sitting next to each other in compatible silence near the fire. Shippo was curled up asleep, next to Kaede as she dozed on a pallet in the corner, her exhaustion catching up with her from her excursion to the nearby village. Sesshomaru was staring off into the trees, fiddling with his swords in an impatient manner. While Lina, still sitting in her position in the corner, looked inwards on herself, seemingly concentrating.  
  
Suddenly looking up with a rather silly grin, Lina looked over at Sesshomaru and laughed an amused laugh.  
  
Sesshomaru looked at her questioningly, while no one else reacted.  
  
Lina smiled up at her grandson, who was still in the doorway. If her impression of the now approaching Inuyasha was correct. She would have a small trouble keeping him focused for the next week. Looking slyly over at Sesshomaru, she smiled an evil grin. Oh how much fun it would be in a few years to meddle with him, if her impressions were correct. Inuyasha wasn't the only one she intended to have entrapped in his own betraying instincts before long.  
  
Looking over at his grandmother's expression, Sesshomaru was getting decidedly nervous. He recalled faintly, almost that same changing expression, before his father had succumbed the second time to bonding. Nervous now, since the expression was directed straight at him. Sesshomaru fidgeted, hoping Inuyasha would return soon, so she would have more than just him to focus her diabolical grin on.  
  
Inuyasha stepped out of the trees overlooking the village and mentally and facially composed himself, before heading towards Kaede's hut.  
  
Nearing it he noticed his brother had not changed positions from when he left earlier and was still resting against the hut's doorway. Looking in he met the knowing expression and worrisome grin of his grandmother. Looking over he noted the tranquility of the hut and the waning day.  
  
"So how did your meeting with Kagome go?" Lina asked in an almost sing song voice from her position in the hut.  
  
Inuyasha looked over at her and got the creepy feeling that she knew exactly what had happened. Facing down and covering the slight pink staining his cheeks, Inuyasha sat directly across from Lina, unintentionally waking Shippo from next to Kaede.  
  
Shippo hearing the question ran up besides the resting Miroku and Sango, his indignant look and frizzy tail, raised in childlike outrage.  
  
"Yeah, what did you do to Kagome this time you jerk? I hope she comes back. You are always hurting her feelings and then letting her go. I hope she sat you good." Shippo grumbled, crossing his arms over his little chest and striking a pose much like Inuyasha's when he was mad.  
  
Before Inuyasha could bop him though, as usual. Lina beat him to it. Looking up at Lina with a hurt expression, Shippo subsided.  
  
"Now that was unfair Shippo. You didn't even give him a chance to answer. "That" was just mean and beneath you." Lina said with a stern look at the kitsune. Looking over at them all, and getting various interested looks, Lina moved and sat back into her original position, before her smirk returned. "After all, if I'm right. Kagome will be coming back more often now. Right Inuyasha?"  
  
Feeling on the spot, since Lina and the rest were now staring at him. Inuyasha knew that she would pound him with questions until he fessed up, so with a spreading blush and an even lower tilt to his head, he replied. "Yes she will. She said that she is going to try to get to go to home schooling. She will be gone a week and promised to return for the last two weeks of training."  
  
Shippo looked shocked. Miroku and Sango shared a look and a slow understanding smile. While Sesshomaru's expression didn't change and Kaede kept sleeping. "You mean you didn't screw up for once." Shippo said in awe. Cringing at the look of sensor from Lina. "Good job Inuyasha." Shippo continued with a toothy grin. Although he didn't like the way Inuyasha treated Kagome at times, Shippo was all for Inuyasha and Kagome getting together.  
  
Looking up at the assembly, Inuyasha hid his face again, at the satisfied and congratulatory grins, gracing his friend's faces.  
  
Lina noticing the small tension stood up and decided that it was finally time to go. Looking over at the priest and exterminator, she gave them a questioning look.  
  
Knowing what she was asking, Miroku and Sango answered with sober expressions. "I guess we could just find something to do." Miroku said hesitatingly, since there wasn't really anything they could do without Kagome to help with the shard hunting.  
  
Looking down at Shippo, Lina crouched down to as close to his eye level as she could get before questioning him. "And what did you have planned?" Before his mouth could open though, she answered the next obvious question. "No you cannot come with us. This is something I will be training them. I can send you to a friend I know though. If you want to learn kitsune stuff while we are gone. Do you want to?" Lina asked the small boy, to the amazement of everyone present.  
  
Shippo smiled hugely. He would get to train too? That was great! He could learn some cool stuff too. "Are you sure I can?" Shippo asked Lina with a slight frown. He didn't want to impose on her for anything.  
  
"Su re. He won't mind training someone. He is always happy to have another student. His name is Kateru. Do you want to meet him?" Lina asked the kitsune with a questioning look. When he nodded. Lina closed her eyes and focused on her friend. Since he was slightly telepathic himself, she spoke to him briefly before looking down at the worried Shippo.  
  
"Are you ok? You were spaced out for awhile there Lina." Shippo said, wringing his hands now.  
  
"Yes I am fine. I was just making sure of some stuff before you meet him." Lina replied as she closed her eyes to focus on her kitsune friend, so she could transport him.  
  
Grabbing Shippo's hand and walking outside. Lina was followed by the intriequed Inuyasha and his two friends. Everything was happening to him so fast, he was having a hard time assimilating it all. First he had found his grandmother, his brother was being sorta nice, Kagome had told him she loved him, and now this. Inuyasha briefly shook his head, seemingly trying to right his thoughts. Looking up, he watched as Lina took the kitsune a small distance from the hut and letting go of his hand, turned to face him. Concentration on her face, they all waited.  
  
Feeling Kateru's aura, Lina focused herself. Feeling a rush of power through her, she folded the distance. Kateru flashed to the side of her, seemingly out of thin air.  
  
The aging kitsune didn't look the worse for wear and his rust brown fir, glistened with health. Looking over at her friend, she looked into his white on black eyes. His form fitting gold tunic emphasized the bulky muscles of the kitsune while his green billowy pants hid his clawed feet. His black pack and black bow, pulled back his shoulder length rust colored hair, a quirky expression on his strikingly handsome face. Hugging him, she noted his grin. "Long time no see my friend." Lina told Kateru, as she jumped up slightly, since he was taller than her, proceeding to take him into a headlock and rubbed his already mussed hair. "I still haven't gotten you back for what you did last time I helped you with a student. Did I you old fox. I aught to tar and feather you just for fun." Lina said teasingly as she rubbed harder on the kitsune's head as he wiggled, trying to break free of her hold.  
  
Everyone but Sesshomaru was staring with a small amount of shock at the picture before them. Apparently the two knew each other quite well and Lina had a very good memory of his past digressions. Playing for awhile to the crowd, the two joked at each other, jabbing at pride and anything else within reach.  
  
Finally after they all seemed to have gotten over the shock, and the kitsune had finally pleaded free, Lina turned to her friend to introduce him to Shippo. "Kateru. I would like you to meet Shippo. He is basically my grandson, so be nice." Lina said as Shippo became excited at the statement, glowing towards Lina.  
  
Kateru chuckled. His head thrown back and his completely white on black eyes twinkled. Like all that first met him, Shippo wondered where his pupils were and what skills he would learn. Looking up at his would be teacher, he decided he liked the elder kitsune very much, anyone Lina knew couldn't be that bad.  
  
Looking down upon the kit, Lina shared a look with Kateru, before kneeling down to Shippo's level. "So. Do you think you would be comfortable with Kateru to teach you for three weeks?" Lina questioned with a look of comfort in her eyes. "Would it make you feel better if I showed you how you can contact me anytime you want to?" Lina asked the kitsune, who was shining with joy.  
  
Shippo looked down shyly and looked back up at Lina before looking over at Kateru before answering. "I guess it would be ok, but I still want to learn how to talk to you. You know just in case."  
  
Looking upon him with understanding, Lina took his hand and turned it palm up. Looking up until she caught his gaze, Lina touched each of his fingers on his right hand and made a circle on his palm. As she did this, everywhere she touched, turned a luminescent white. Upon completion of this, she spoke. "Ok now Shippo. I have put a very small spell on your palm." Looking to make sure he was listening. Lina continued. "Now every time you want to talk to me. Even for a little while. Just close your eyes and think of me. Take all your fingers." Lina curled the fading tips of light on his fingers towards the fading circle in his palm. Upon contact, Shippo could hear a faint beat of Lina's heart in his head and smell her as if she was holding him. "Then put them in your palm. Think your thoughts to me, I will hear them, and answer back. You understand Shippo?" Lina questioned the kitsune as he unfolded his hand, looking up at her with teary eyes.  
  
"Yes and thank you for the gift." Shippo ran into her arms and Lina picked him up.  
  
"Are you ready to go?" Lina questioned the kit in her arms. When he nodded against her chest, Lina questioned him further. "Do you want to say good bye to your friends before you go? Even if it is only for a little while?" Nodding again, Shippo jumped out of her arms and swiftly hugged Sango and then Miroku. Hesitatingly at the fierce expression on Inuyasha's face, since he knew what the kit wanted to do, Shippo shrugged and launched himself upon the hanyou, hugging for all he was worth before scampering towards Lina before he could retaliate. "Bye guys! I'll see you soon." Looking up at Lina, he whispered in a voice only the demons could hear. "I'll talk to you later."  
  
Nodding to the cuddling kitsune, she transferred him to Kateru's arms. "I will be coming after him in three weeks my friend. Probably with company. Do you still live on the other side of the western mountains?" Lina questioned the placid elder kitsune. Upon his nod of affermance. Lina nodded. "I will see you soon then my friend. Good luck." Smirking down upon Kateru's bundle.  
  
"Oh I'm sure I will need it my friend." Kateru chuckled back in his smooth voice.  
  
Smiling again briefly, Lina turned to face the kistsu directly, and closed her eyes. Bringing her finger to her forehead, Lina felt them disappear to Kateru's home, as everyone watched them wink out.  
  
  
  
Turning towards her grandchildren, Lina walked over to Sesshomaru and patted his fluffy tail in passing. Invoking his own spell to get through the barrier. Going out a wase to the north, Lina stretched experimentally, watching her grandchildren approach. "Are you ready to leave for the training ground?"  
  
"Yes." Was grumpily repeated by the brothers in unison to their dismay.  
  
Chuckling. Lina waved them closer. "I will show you the way. Inuyasha, you know where we are going exactly. So I don't have to watch you. But meet us at the perimeter, so I can show your brother." Sesshomaru scowled. "Ok your half brother. The barrier, and the warnings, so I can explain it to him." Looking over at the grinning Inuyasha. Lina shook her head and scowled at him. Leaping up unexpetantly to a tall tree on the tree line. Lina turned towards the brothers. "Keep up and see you there." Lina rushed through, disappearing in a flash, as the brothers scrambled to get going after their grandmother. 


	14. The grav field and settling in

Chapter 14) The grav field and settling in.  
  
Training area ~  
  
Upon reaching the barrier. Lina decided to wait on her grandsons with patience. Since Inuyasha didn't know about his spell, he wouldn't try to enter the area at least. Straightening, Lina sensed her grandchildren approach and looked over at the barrier wall. Turning back she spotted Inuyasha coming to a halt near her, making sure he didn't cross the yellow line. Slower, Sesshomaru studied the signs, before lifting one eyebrow and coming up to Lina.  
  
"This is the barrier wall that we will be training under." Lina explained in her teacher voice as she pointed to the yellow line. "This barrier is a mile and a half in circumference. Or three miles long. " Lina said at the questioning look of Inuyasha. "The barrier travels all the way up. No one can get over it. " Looking back and for the between the two she continued. "This barrier will amplify or increase the gravity of any place I choose. It will help you become stronger during your training." Lina noted the gleeful expression, carefully subdued on Inuyasha's face, before continuing. "The two lodges are free from this gravity and you two will spend the first two days getting used to the gravity while you train some simple moves with your swords." Turning towards the barrier now, Lina walked over the line and turned to the two. "After that I will be training the more advanced skills, maybe with help." At the inquiring looks she explained. "My lifemate will not be gone for much longer and knowing him, he will follow me here. So you will meet him shortly." Looking over at them again and seeing no change in expression she continued. "The more severe training will be handled by him anyway, since he can test you far better than I." Satisfied for now at her explanation and the accepting looks from the two. Lina motioned for them to join her on the other side of the barrier. Inuyasha hesitated, while Sesshomaru crossed the line and quirked an eyebrow at his brother. Inuyasha crossed and upon not feeling the crushing sensation, looked inquiringly at Lina. A look of mischief crossed her face as she turned and led the way through the forest.  
  
Upon arriving at the main lodge, Lina stopped them at the front steps and positioned them side-by-side, a few feet from front porch of the structure. The supporting roof poles a slight distance up from that.  
  
"Now the barrier wall is activated, but I have made it where you two could come in, so that you could make the journey unharmed." Upon a questioning look from Sesshomaru. Lina's expression shuttered and she circled the two. "You will understand in a moment." Lina patted his shoulder and his tale in mock sympathy as she came around him, dashing around as he plummeted to the ground. Unaware his spell had been lifted.  
  
Inuyasha looked at the look of pure evil on his grandmother's face. Trying to recall when she had casually touched him earlier today. Recalling the tug on the ear, he tried to dodge her. Leaping out of the way, he was barely inches from the poles when she caught him and he plummeted to the porch steps.  
  
Groaning, Inuyasha exerted his utmost strength and pulled himself up the last step and onto the porch. Panting, he looked over at his brother, who was still under the influence of the grav field. Feet to go until he reached the steps alone.  
  
"That was a dirty trick Lina." Inuyasha panted with a look of admiration on his face from his prone position on the lodge porch. Catching his breath he stood and got into a crouched position. Watching his brother curse from his dirt-eating position where Lina had dropped him seconds earlier.  
  
With a look of self-satisfaction, Lina circled the almost prone form of Sesshomaru. "This is the gravity you will be training under for the next two days Sesshomaru. You need to get a little faster if you are going to learn to anticipate my moves from now on." After a little more grumbling and curses from the ground. Lina knelt down beside him and gently reminded him about the lodges. "Remember Sesshomaru. The lodges are free of the gravity, so if you want out of it you will have to move towards the lodge and onto the porch before you can move freely."  
  
Looking up briefly, Sesshomaru noted Lina's patient expression, while berating himself for his lack of reflex. Groaning as he pushed himself to a crawling position, Sesshomaru moved slowly towards the porch. As he crawled up the steps, his grandmother encouraged him from behind. After a time and a few tries, Sesshomaru finally made it onto the porch. Panting and sweating from the effort, he lay there in a prone face down position as his brother watched with a smirk.  
  
After a time, Sesshomaru had regained his maneuverability, and Lina took them both inside the lodge to show them around.  
  
First she showed them the main space and explained the living situation to them. "You each will have a room while you reside here. If you want anything changed, you may ask it of me, if it is possible I will change it. " Taking her grandsons in tow she stopped them in the center of the back of the main space, facing two doors on the far sides of the back wall. "Each of your rooms in unique and I believe that you each will respect the privacy of the other." Giving them meaningful looks. Lina continued. "If I hear that this is not the case, I will create a blocking spell over your doors, where only the owner of the room may enter." Looking at them both, she glared from one to the other. "Now I will point you each to you your rooms and leave you here for now, since it is getting late and I am tired." Lina turned to them both and yawned purposefully.  
  
Pointing towards the green door, Lina told Inuyasha that it was his room. Pointing also at the blue door, Lina told Sesshomaru that it was his room. "You may explore all you like and if you want more furniture I will be happy to make it or show you how to make it. But I will leave you both now and will show you my lodge tomorrow. Goodnight you two. If you fight I will hurt you both." Lina said yawning and then scowling at the two, before leaving into the waning light of the evening.  
  
Watching her retreating back, Inuyasha shared a brief look with his brother before they each went to check out their prospective rooms.  
  
As Inuyasha entered his, his mouth opened in shock. He had never had a room like this before, not even in his memory of before his mother had died. The two braisers near the bed let off a soft glow that was reflected in the white walls. A sunset could be seen out the window facing the west that was half open to let in a breeze coming off from the stream behind the structure. The forest green bed, upon first test, was almost softer than that of Kagome's bed in her time. Deciding that he only needed a small table near the bed, in case he didn't want to dine with his brother, he noted to tell his grandmother tomorrow before training. Besides that the carvings in the wood were soothing, if not a little frightening in their portrail of his feelings and want of home and family. Scary really. He might just request that blocking spell anyway, since he didn't trust his brother and the bed itself was just too revealing. Flopping back on the mattress he looked up at the uncovered roof supports above him and thought of Kagome.  
  
  
  
Sesshomaru was in quite a similar state at this moment. The white walls of his room reflected back the light of the brazers that were identically beside the bed on either side. A soft breeze floated through the window to the west as the sun set and was floated through the south window near the bed. The bed was comfortable and he noted that he would have to ask grams where the mattress came from, so he could get some for the castle. The crest was a little out of date on the end board and he liked the clashing dogs on the north side of the bed, but the south was just disturbing. He loved his family and had always hoped one day to have one of his own, but the picture was just too revealing for him. Deciding that he would need a case to store his swords in and a spell for it, he noted to ask his grandmother in the morning. Maybe the blocking spell would be a good idea anyway, he liked his privacy and the fact that he would have to share a residence with his bastard brother didn't help matters much. Gracefully lying down upon the blue bed he pondered the techniques he might be learning here soon. Looking up at the exposed rafters, Sesshomaru let his mind wander, his thoughts almost immediately focusing on Rin, wondering what she was doing right now. 


	15. Training and bonding

Chapter 15) Training and bonding  
  
Training area ~~ Main lodge ~~  
  
Half awake to the world, Inuyasha was grateful for the dark shutters over his windows. He really disliked mornings and this was no exception. It was nice and dark in his room and he was completely comfortable for once. The only thing that could make it better was Kagome. Snuggling down into the bedding he allowed himself a brief sigh of satisfaction.  
  
His first day, he would never know what hit him.  
  
Cloaking her presence, Lina wandered into the hall, right in the middle of the two doors, before she made her announcement.  
  
"TIME TO GET UP!!!!!" Lina shouted, as the brothers jumped up instinctively out of their comfortable positions, and onto the freezing cold wood flooring.  
  
"LINA!!!" and "GRAMS!!!" was shouted simultaneously from opposite sides as Lina smiled waiting.  
  
"Come out now." Lina said, as she allowed the air in both rooms to become progressively colder.  
  
"I'm coming, I'm coming" grumbled Inuyasha as he strode from his room, bleary eyed. Coming abreast of Lina, Inuyasha let out a huge yawn and tried to run his fingers through his hair in a semblance of order. Blearily he waited with Lina for Sesshomaru, checking tetsaugia on his waist for good measure.  
  
"Come on Sesshomaru. Hurry up or you will miss breakfast." Lina spoke as she neared the blue door, and then knocked for good measure.  
  
Coming out the door and past his grandmother, Sesshomaru stretched briefly, and with his normal face, went to stand near his half brother.  
  
"Ok let's go." Lina said as she led them into the front of the lodge where the table sat. Brimming with all the foods they liked, Lina walked over to one side and sat down. Picking some poached eggs and a sausage biscuit from a small platter of them, she started eating. "Ramen!?" Inuyasha said with a look at Lina. Grabbing a bowl from a built in shelf near the table, he scooped out some from the steaming pot on the far end of the table, then chose some eggs and assorted breakfast foods before settling in the chair closest to the ramen. Sesshomaru went over to the built in unit and selecting a bowl, he chose at random, since some of the food was foreign to him. Before setting down on the opposite head of the table from his brother. He started to eat.  
  
After a short time, and everyone now full and things magically swept away. Lina led them out to the porch before unceremoniously rushing around them and pushing them down the stairs and into the gravity.  
  
Dragging them a good three hundred feet straight out from the porch, Lina told them that their first exercise would be to make it back to the porch as quickly as they could. She would be keeping track of the time.  
  
Leaving them, she went to set on the main lodge steps. Watching them for awhile, she was impressed at their stamina and competitiveness. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were both now on all fours crawling. Bickering along the way, Lina was impressed that neither was straining too much this time. Their adaptability would be an added bonus to her training she mentally noted.  
  
About five minutes later, they were both about half way there, with Sesshomaru in a slight lead. Bickering had been quieted a few moments ago, after Lina had cheerfully said that they would need their strength, since this wasn't the only time they would be doing this today.  
  
Another six minutes later and some shoving of Lina out of the way, as she laughed at them. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru both slumped onto the porch at almost the exact instant. After allowing them a slight rest, Lina took them out to do the same thing another thirty times.  
  
At lunch, Lina took pity on them and running from her lodge to theirs, she took out a little capsule like thing from her pocket. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru watched in almost amazement from some curled back couches on either side of the main area. Slamming it onto the western style table with a slight poof of smoke, the table was filled with assorted meats, cheeses, breads, sauces, and ramen. "Come eat." Lina sing songed.  
  
"How did you do that?" Inuyasha questioned Lina after finding the same bowl, washed now, and filling it full of ramen and assorted items, then sitting down.  
  
"It's a device from my future time." Lina said, letting Inuyasha inspect the small residual capsule from her pocket. Pointing at it from where it lay on Inuyasha's open palm in a bee colored design, she explained. "This little device allows people to shrink items to a very small size. It can keep things warm or cold, and this little button," she said pointing at the top, nearly concealed in the decoration of it, "allows you to expand the contents, or shrink them. Before you ask though, " she continued looking meaningfully to Inuyasha, "No you cannot put living things in there. Only foods or items." Lina looked up grinning at Inuyasha's downtrodden expression. Lina laughed outright a second later as he gave the device back pouting and glaring at his brother who seemed positively fascinated with the device he now held.  
  
(I told you I would use some DBZ gadgetry.)  
  
After a time and eating, Lina took them outside once again.  
  
Grumbling, she coaxed them to come out to her this time. Struggling with each step they took. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha made it down the steps and a few feet out in an impressive time. "Good, good. You've improved already from this morning. If you keep this up, you wont even feel the gravity by the end of tomorrow." Lina said smiling up at her grandson's with pride.  
  
"Ok. Now that you two can stand." Lina looked over at the two and their swords. She led them to the far side of the clearing at a slow pace. Leaving them watching her she went to a small shed near the tree line and took out some practice swords from their position and made them face each other after putting them in a white marked practice circle a few meters away. "Now since you two are in need of some sword training, and you would probably try to unintentionally kill each other with your own swords." Lina scowled and growled at each brother in turn. "You will use these practice swords. They will automatically match the weight of your preferred sword by tuning into you so that I will not have to train you again with your own." Lina explained as she gave a blunted sword to each of them. Upon contact with Inuyasha, his practice sword started glowing a slight blue and Sesshomaru's glowed a slight gold color. "Ok, now that it is done." Lina said to the facing brothers. "It is time for you to fight. I will be watching from a safe distance so I can judge what I need to teach you." Lina said as she left the ring. Looking over at them and sitting down on a small bench outside the circle, she lifted her brows when they just looked at her a moment, then after a nod and pointed look from one and then the other. They started to clash.  
  
Sesshomaru was at about the same disadvantage as Inuyasha in the ring. They both were still feeling the weight, so Sesshomaru couldn't outdistance his brother with speed. So they just clashed and hacked at each other. Not surprisingly, neither was pushed out of the ring, and after a few hours of swordplay, both were tired and sweaty. Neither of them had outclassed the other, holding their own quite well despite their age difference and skill level. Disappointed in themselves over the fact that they didn't even beat the other. Lina came to their rescue.  
  
Getting tired of them slandering each other and now slowly bringing their swords up to the opponent. She strode up to them and purposefully took the swords from them and returned them to their shed, both still glowing. Returning to the two, Lina noticed their now visible fatigue and waving off their still verbal battling, Lina almost dragged the two back to the main lodge. Upon entry she set them down on the couches and let them rest.  
  
Since the table had been cleared earlier that day. Lina waited for them to regain some strength before putting out some traditional dishes on the table for them to eat. Not spotting his ramen, Inuyasha looked pointedly at her.  
  
"Inuyasha. You are going to be burned out on ramen if you don't eat anything else. So for one meal out of the day, each day, you will not be allowed to eat it. OK?" Lina asked the hanyou as she prepared to set out more dishes. Upon his nod of understanding and consent, Lina sat down and started eating, allowing the other two to join her.  
  
After a short while they were both eating and polishing off everything. After a quiet time, Lina noticed Inuyasha's now melancholy look. Putting away the dishes and telling the other two to put them into the wooden tub a few feet behind Sesshomaru near the wall, Lina went over to sit in a chair against the far wall near the two couches.  
  
Sitting down, Lina waited for her grandson's to approach. As they sat down, and Lina watched as the look of melancholy did not leave Inuyasha's face. Patting his shoulder from her perch between the resting two. Lina spoke up, "You will get to see her in a few days Inuyasha. Relax for once. No one can penetrate the barrier wall if I do not wish it." Lina looked over at her grandson and he growled back at her in protest of her implication that he was thinking of a certain somebody. Smiling Lina looked out at virtually nothing and felt for her lifemate.  
  
Inuyasha noticing her zoning out, became concerned when she closed her eyes and smiled.  
  
"Are you ok Lina?" Inuyasha asked hesitantly.  
  
As to not raise his temper, Lina just answered him, although the urge to tease him was great. "I was just connecting with my mate Inuyasha. I like to talk with him from time to time."  
  
A questioning look came over Inuyasha's face that Lina understood.  
  
"Once in a great while Inuyasha. When two mates become extremely close or are true soul mates. They are able to talk to each other from far distances, and in the instance of me and my mate and a few others, are able to talk from a distance, see from a distance, feel the other's feelings and physically touch from a distance, and rarer of all they can share their power from a distance. " Lina explained. At the end of the explanation, Lina looked over at him, he seemed in shock. He spoke quietly, almost to himself, but his words made Lina look at him speculatively. "Are you sure? Every once in awhile I have been able to do many of those things with Kagome. At the time I thought nothing of it. It seemed natural to do it. It felt so right." Looking up at Lina with a pondering look in his gold eyes from the couch, he looked at the floor again before continuing. "Once when we fought the noah mask in her time. I knew she was in trouble, I even heard her yell my name. I came through the well and saw her little brother, but when we were after her, I told him I knew where she was by smell, but I lied. I could see what she saw and knew the exact location of where she went. I thought it was kind weird, but it felt right and at the time, I thought it would have something to do with her powers. I felt it wasn't really true, but I didn't want to think she was so connected to me. I could feel her fear, and that scared me shitless." Lina looked with understanding over at Inuyasha, who had a disturbed expression on his face as he focused his attention up at the exposed rafters in the ceiling, seemingly lost in thought. "But we haven't mated yet Lina. So how am I able to do these things?" Inuyasha asked from his current position as his brow furrowed in confusion. "Some mates are destined to be. Some recreated for each other for uncounted lives. When this kind of bonding happens, most of the powers are just dormant until they are needed and activate for a time. Both souls would then release and activate the hidden powers to full strength upon their mating." Lina explained as she relaxed further into her chair. Pointedly looking at Sesshomaru as he opened his mouth to speak, curiosity welling in his eyes as he looked at his half brother, and frowning at him to keep him quiet, she thought for a moment.  
  
  
  
Puzzling to herself, she wondered whose reincarnations her grandson and Kagome were. Thinking for awhile she decided to tell them the story of Inu and KiKa. Even though she didn't know whose reincarnation he was, the story would help him understand how deep the bond could go between a couple.  
  
Looking up at the rafters and leaning back into the chair so she would be as comfortable as possible, she started the story. "Long, long ago. When there were no humans or youkai in the world, there was a race of people who called themselves the okama. They were the race I told you of earlier and were neither human nor youkai. Out of this race there sprung a couple who were made specifically for one another by the universe to be a testimate of what a lifemated pair could be. " Noticing that both her grandsons were watching her like small children at story time, she continued with a slight smile. "They went by the names of Inu and KiKa. His hair was as dark as night and he was the greatest warrior of their land. He protected everyone and death was said to be his domain, personally he thought himself dammed. KiKa was a healer and with white hair and a luminescence around her, her soul was good and was thought by some to be an angel. She could heal almost anyone and was good and kind to all. One day, they met on the battlefield, while she was sent to heal him of a truly life threatening wound. At the time he thought his life and soul were beyond redemption. He had killed countless times and he almost had no feelings left, or so he thought." Smiling at the memory, since she had seen this meeting first hand. Lina couldn't help but chuckle to herself. "He just stared at her in awe as she approached, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and in that moment, he decided he would lay down his life willingly for this one woman. Which was quite a revelation for him at the time, since he did not know he had any noble thoughts left in him. KiKa had quite a similar reaction to him at the time. She could not stop staring at her patient. He was handsome and dark. His soul crying out to her and his eyes holding back his hurt to the point of where had anyone but her looked at him, thought him an emotionless killer. But she saw his soul and felt a bond to him. In this moment they knew they were fated for each other, sorta like love at first sight. Over time they met many times and were one day sent off together in search of a great evil that threatened the lands at the time. With them was sent another great warrior who's purpose would be to protect the group, A sorcerer and holy man to help with all things magical, A finally skilled woman warrior with farsight abilities, and a child who's innocence allowed him to see through any deception. They traveled for many years battling this evil until in a final showdown was reached. Most were wounded during the battle, but KiKa and Inu by this time had come as close to a mated pair as they could get without solidifying their bond. They fought as one. One attacking while the other funneled strength. Finally KiKa made the final blow with Inu's help, purifying the evil from the world. Their friends and companions they had made during the journey celebrated their success and slowly the world turned to normal. The holy man and woman warrior had fallen in love and they mated and their line continued a distance south of here. The warrior found a girl whom was innocent and pure who could look past his exterior and touched his soul and was mated not long after the holy man's pair. Inu and KiKa finally were able to solidify their bond and adopted the child that had been entrusted in their care. Upon the end of this they were declared the leaders of the people. Inu delt with all the dark of the kingdom and KiKa the light. Some said they were the day and night of existence, the perfect reflections of each other's power and a love that could transcend time. How right they were." Lina stopped and looked at the shocked faces of the two before her, shook by the slight similarities in their own lives. "The souls of KiKa and Inu were born many times into existence and their love is what brought about the symbol of the ying and yang. The ying and yang symbol was our family crest for a time and if you look closely it still exists in the pattern. KiKa and Inu's souls have been born into our family at least a hundred times since their deaths so long ago. Sadly the evil has been reincarnated as well but not as often and never into our line." Lina looked down on her hands as she fidgeted in their disbelieving looks. "The chances of a soul being born into a singular line is once in a few hundred thousand years, but the pair's souls have returned much more than that. Maybe it's me, I don't know. I am never able to tell when they appear into the family until they think I need to know. So don't ask if they are in the family yet. I don't know." Lina said to the curious and very hard thinking duo.  
  
Standing up, Lina turned to the two who were still deep in though. "I think you two need to rest now and I need to as well." Lina left them to their thoughts as she went outside and off towards her own lodge as the night descended on the camp. 


	16. What are they doing?

Chapter 16) What are they doing?  
  
Training area ~~  
  
Lina sat back and watched her grandsons as they hacked at each other for the second day in a row. She had woken them up this morning in much the same manner as before, but an hour and a half earlier, just so they wouldn't try to beat her as the first up. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had both made requests for the blocking spell on their rooms and Lina had granted the request.  
  
After eating awhile, she had made them jog a distance of eight hundred feet from the porch to a tree near the tree line about twenty times before halting the exercise. And now that her grandsons were moving about at an almost normal equivalency, she was making them fight each other with the practice swords again, them being so slow the other day, so that she would have a much better knowledge of their skill.  
  
Sighing, Lina noted to herself to help the two with their vocabulary once again as she heard a few choice words being said from the ring not far from her current location. She had set up a new addition to the practice this time though, an orange barrier covered the area so they could go with their natural tendencies and use the surrounding area for leverage.  
  
"Bastard!!" Inuyasha shouted at Sesshomaru as he was pushed back and bounced off the barrier, coming at his brother, full speed. "Worthless moron!!!" Sesshomaru growled back as Inuyasha clashed with him, sliding him back into the barrier. With a great thrust against it he held off Inuyasha's attack. Feigning left, Sesshomaru brought his sword up and unsuccessfully swiped at Inuyasha with his poison claws (for those who don't know. in my story, Sess has both arms. Now lets continue). Releasing his sword lock with Sesshomaru, Inuyasha jumped over his brother, landing lightly behind him and he tried, also unsuccessfully, to slash down his brother's back, before locking swords with Sesshomaru again. Releasing the sword lock again, Inuyasha lept back and tried his claws of steel on Sesshomaru, landing his fist in the dirt as he turned to block.  
  
Similar attacks had been happening between the two for now on two hours. They were tiring slightly, but seemed evenly matched. Where Sesshomaru had the speed and skill, Inuyasha had the broot force and agility. What one lacked in grace or finesse, the other made up for. Both had started out fine, trading insults as they tried to find a weak point in the other's defense, finding virtually none, they had been both getting skill fuller as the day progressed. They each were studying the other and to her joy, they were learning from one another, unconsciously, but learning non-the less. Looking out she planned some new additions to the match that would restart after lunch.  
  
Sadly though, their vocabulary had diminished to frightening proportions. Lina had started in her own amusement, to keep track. Marking down on a little tablet she had produced from her pouch earlier, she made three new marks by the word at the top of this page of 'Bastard' in bold letters. Counting she was appalled at the fact that either brother had used it a total of at least thirty times in the last hour. Couldn't they think of anything else? With a pained look, Lina marked a few times beside 'Worthless hanyou', Sesshomaru's favorite it seemed, and 'Jerk', which in her opinion, after the first five times, lost its shock value. Sighing again gust fully, Lina looked at the sun dial she had set up this morning a few meters from the training ground, as not to be affected by anything but the sun. Noting the time, she decided that in a few minutes, she would make them stop for lunch before the next level of training began.  
  
At least they were improving she noted to herself again, as a pained look crossed her face once more. She marked three more times beside her 'Bastard' tally.  
  
  
  
Kateru's Home ~~  
  
Shippo was excited. He had been learning to amplify his foxfire and an advanced form of transformation for the last two days. He was staying in Kateru's house in a little room that curved out from the dome house set back in the trees at the base of the western mountains. (Think of Goku's house in DBZ) He had a little bed and a little desk and many things his size. Kateru had said that Lina had ensorcelled the room for him many years ago, so that his students could feel more at home when he trained them. All the furniture in the room was meant to change with the occupant, along with anything else they needed to have for their size.  
  
Kateru sat a small distance from Shippo currently, as Shippo tried his foxfire on a small red and white circular target. Each blast was progressively stronger and larger as Shippo used the amplification technique at higher strengths, then lower and smaller, as he had been taught. "Watch it Shippo." Kateru said in his smooth, almost sweet voice. "You will tire yourself out if you do not recharge by diminishing the power for awhile. You need to get used to the higher levels before we can go to the next version of fox fire I am to teach you." Kateru continued with a look of slight worry on his handsome features, his black eyes shining from his position on a bench under some trees in the field they were training in next to the house.  
  
Kateru worried a little for the kit. He had a thirst for learning and his small stature made his a perfect pupil. His biggest worry was how he was to break it to his adoptive parents, the importance of a balanced upbringing. Lina had sent some of the information to him telepathically on how they treated the kit after a small bout of rebellion on Shippo's part. Kateru had tried to get the kit to settle down and listen to him explain the beginning of his current technique and the kit had put him down flat. He had complained that he didn't have to listen, put him down, and immediately began to throw a fit. After some chasing and a good, hard, flick on the nose for good measure, Shippo had been properly chasted in the way of his people. From what he had gathered from Lina on Kagome and Inuyasha, Kagome spoiled the kit rotten and Inuyasha did not know how to chaste the kit properly when he usurped his authority. Apparently Kagome did not know that Inuyasha was, in the kit's mind, an authority figure and by sitting Inuyasha every time the kit put him down and he retaliated, that it was ok to not listen to anyone but her.  
  
Looking over at the kit, Kateru stood and walked over to the kit and physically moved the kit into a better conjuring stance.  
  
Satisfied at the improved stance, Kateru nodded at the kit and went back to his bench. Sighing he looked over at the kit with a now affectionate look. He needed to get out more he mentally noted. The kit's presence stirred a longing that he hadn't felt for a few months. Kateru had pissed off his mate royally those few months ago and he knew she was staying in their winter home further up the mountain, still waiting for an apology. She was the most stubborn kitsune he had ever met. Sighing he mentally added that it was one of the things he loved about her. They always had arguments about the best way to teach their students. Though at times he just made her mad to see the spark and sizzle coming from her forest green eyes and to watch her black hair stand on end in outrage. Sadly the last time, after agreeing to not meddle with each other's current students, she had meddled anyway. Not that she had been right that the boy at the time needed to be shown virtually everything first, like she had suggested, but it was the principal of it he added unconcincingly, even to himself.  
  
Looking up through the trees at the bright blue sky, Kateru softly whispered to himself in exasperation. "Lina, why do you get me into these things?"  
  
  
  
Kagome's house ~~  
  
"You had better be studying dear." Kagome's mother called up to her from the kitchen doorway with a small frown on her face.  
  
It had been two interesting days in their house. First Kagome had come back and explained to her mother, that she had finally decided to take home school since she was out enough already and she wouldn't have to make up so much homework and could take more time to get her equivalency.  
  
Kagome's mother had been overjoyed at the prospect of not explaining every time she went out, how Kagome was doing today. Also she could now spend some quality time with her daughter. Recently though Kagome had also gone through the sadly almost nonemotional parting with her friends as well.  
  
Kagome had gone and invited all three of her friends out to have a sundae. To her surprise, modification, and overwhelming anger, they had taken it surprisingly well. They had pointed out to her that she knew nothing of the current school gossip, she was never there for them, and that she just would never listen to them about Hojo-kun or about her :::sneer::: two timing boyfriend. Although upon hearing about the afore mentioned Hojo, she had told her friends that they had never listened to her about him and that she already had a great relationship with a boy and to, "NEVER!!! Call him a two timer!!!". With wide eyes on their faces, Kagome had walked out and fuming for awhile, and muttering to herself, gone home. Sure she had told them that Inuyasha was a two-timer, but he was her two-timer, and only she got to put him down like that.  
  
Kagome had, after that, gone into a simple routine with her mother. She had been given the information on the equivalency from the school, and her mother had been certified by the school board to teach her daughter at home.  
  
The very next day, Kagome's mother had sat her down with two of her five books and after going over them with her awhile, sent her up to her room to complete a few pages of work, that she would check later.  
  
Now Kagome was in her room with her math and English books, studying at her desk and making good progress. Kagome looked up for awhile, smiling softly and thought to herself about the positives of having her mother do a one on one with her. After all, she had her teacher on twenty-four hour stand-bye if she ever needed help understanding some problems with her schoolwork. Looking over at the glass bottle, the shards winked back at her from their spot in the sun, at the corner of her desk. A dreamy look overcame her face as she thought of Inuyasha.  
  
Closing her eyes she pictured her dog demon in great detail. His white silver hair blowing around him as his cute ears twitched in the breeze. She pictured him in a field, not far from Kaede's village, as she had seen him once before. Laying out upon a gently sloping hill, around and below him, the fresh green grass crushed and fragrant. His scent wafted to her as Kagome felt a tightening in her stomach and a hint of fire at the remembered smell. Suddenly out of nowhere, she smelled his sweat and scent, almost as though he was next to her. His thoughts comforted her and were thoughts of her. Her mental picture wavered and was replaced with him practicing with his brother in a field similar to the other one. He was exhilarated and having a good time by the looks of it. Looking down from her vantage point in her mind, she smiled at the ledger Lina was holding in front of her. Looking up and opening her eyes, Kagome laughed at the remembered tally and the Imagined look of pain on Lina's face. The entire sheet was filled with checks. It had looked like an entire page was dedicated to the word 'Bastard' for some reason.  
  
Smiling, Kagome shook her head. Sometimes she wondered about her imagination, sometimes it was just too far fetched. Looking over at the shards again, she switched her attention back to her math as the shards reflected the light from the window and gave a small pulse of energy beside the now focused girl. 


	17. Three forms of power

Chapter 17) Three forms of power  
  
Training area~~ next morning ~~  
  
Lina looked out from her porch, at the early morning sun. She had decided to let her grandsons wake up on their own and come investigating to find her.  
  
She had left a capsule on the table, and after showing Inuyasha how to use one the other day, was confidant that they would have no problems feeding themselves this morning.  
  
Looking down at the small clearing near her lodge, she decided where to put her practice stone up. Going over to the center of the clearing, Lina focused on the ground. She lifted a slab of onyx black rock from the depths of the earth, to sit in the center of the clearing beside her with practiced ease.  
  
Closing her eyes, Lina lifted her pack over her head and dropped it to the ground. She then kicked it over to the side of the lodge.  
  
Going to the other side of the stone, the one closest to the main lodge, she went into a fighting stance. What her grandsons would see when they came to find her would be intreaquieing. Smiling evilly at the thought of their expressions, Lina started her exercises against the rock.  
  
  
  
Inuyasha was getting impatient. First Lina didn't wake them up like the last two days, although not eating floor was nice. Second he had to remember her instructions on using the little capsule thingy and was happy he even remembered. Lastly though was the fact that after all this, she still wasn't here. Sharing a look with his stone faced brother; Inuyasha gave an exasperated sigh and lept off the porch and followed the feel of Lina's energy.  
  
Rounding the tree line towards where Lina's lodge was located he came up shocked. There in front of him was one of the weirdest poles he had ever seen.  
  
Standing a good nine feet in height and three feet in girth, it stood at the corner of the clearing, seemingly guarding the lodge which by the look of it and hade the same carvings into each of the support poles of the lodge. The top one appeared to be a dog, the next a tiger, maybe a dragon, a weird bird, and a fox at the bottom. But that was pale in comparison to what he saw next.  
  
There in the clearing was Lina, practicing punches and kicks on a black slab of rock. That wasn't the surprising part though.  
  
With every punch or kick that Lina took, she counted, and with each saying of "one, two, three", she changed into a different form.  
  
With a hard right kick she shouted "One" and changed into a human. "Two" was a spinning left kick up high and she changed into the form of a hanyou. With the "Three" and a rock cracking punch to the center, she was a youkai, but with each change, she felt different. She felt like a human, felt like a hanyou, and felt like a youkai at each level, but by the look of her attacks, the force and strength behind them did not change.  
  
Wide eyed and wondering, Inuyasha looked over at his brother, as he came up beside him and froze. Inuyasha was almost smiling at the look on his face. Absolute shock was printed there, the most stunning reaction he had ever seen from his icy brother.  
  
+Are you two spying on me? Am I going to have to close your brother's mouth before he lets a fly in? + Lina's voice flitted through Inuyasha's head for a moment, filled with sardonic wit.  
  
Smiling to himself, Inuyasha replied. +No we aren't spying. How were you going to keep us from watching anyway humm? Either way, he can close it himself, he deserves a good shock every once in awhile. + Inuyasha turned towards his brother for a moment and with an evil grin on his face, he strode to just a few feet away from Lina's practicing figure, leaving Sesshomaru behind.  
  
"Now how are you doing this anyway?" Inuyasha asked the still practicing Lina, who had slowed down a little.  
  
Stopping in her human form, which looked almost the same as her youkai one, Lina turned to face him.  
  
Inuyasha studied Lina for a small while. Her eyes were the same shade, except they weren't catlike. Her hair was the same shade and length and she was a little bulkier in this form. Her ears were the most notable, they were round like a humans, but had an almost imperceptible point at the end.  
  
  
  
"It is a part of what I am Inuyasha." Lina answered in her new form. "I am not a regular youkai, even though there is a way to become almost like me." Lina continued with a shrug and merriment in her eyes. "I am youkai in all three forms, but I am physically what I am in all three forms." At the now puzzled look on Inuyasha's face, Lina continued with a smile. "When I am human I am physically human in every way, I have the teeth of a human, the smell of a human, the feel of a human, but I am youkai at the same time. I appear outwardly human to every youkai I meet, but I have all my powers, strength, speed, and healing ability, almost as if I were but weren't human. The same applies to my hanyou form." Comprehension was slow in dawning in Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's minds, but Lina realized that Inuyasha, the more adaptive of the two, would understand the implications much better than his brother. "Now I can turn into any of these three forms on command, but if I was resting, or relaxing, I would change into my normal form." Lina explained further to the two. "Say if Inuyasha changed into a youkai similar to me." Lina said, startling Inuyasha and making his eyes latch onto his grandmother in speculation. "When he was resting or relaxed he would look like he does now, even though he had all the powers and abilities of a full youkai."  
  
The dawning of a realization came into Inuyasha's eyes. This was the solution to his problem. He could be youkai and yet not. He could be more powerful but still stay with Kagome wherever she was. Appear human when he needed to and youkai when he needed to. He could defeat Naraku this way.  
  
Looking over at Lina, he saw the understanding in her eyes, but there was also sensor in there as well. Like she knew something he didn't.  
  
Lina looked over and into her grandson's questioning gaze. She knew he had realized what she was saying. That she could turn him into a youkai, but she knew now was not the time. A few things would happen before she would show him how to become youkai without the help of the jewel. Either way, she had created the jewel, so she was more powerful than it, but he didn't need to know that right now.  
  
Looking over at the two she preceded to walk towards her lodge and with a quick turn, released a ki blast at the slab.  
  
To Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's shock, the moment the little green ball of light hit the slab, it blew up with such force that they were thrown away and left a good sized crater where the rock had been.  
  
Lina, still in her human form, smiled simply at the two as they rose. Walking with a pleasant smile on her face, she strode over to the training area near the practice field and spoke before rounding the totem they had passed on the way in. "That was called a ki blast. I will be teaching you how to do one today. That was a small one. Hurry up." Chirping the last part to the shocked two, she was soon out of sight. Recovering quickly, the brothers hurried after their grandmother after her brief display. They were defiantly learning this little trick. 


	18. Energy and the start of the summoning

Chapter 18) Energy and the start of the summoning.  
  
Training area ~~ 2 days later ~~  
  
Lina looked up at the training area where Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were once again practicing with their swords.  
  
They were up to speed now and were fighting without putting each other down. Each seemed to be studying the other as they fought and had improved considerably. It was even to the point of where neither could touch the other without coming to swordplay.  
  
Smiling Lina shook her head. She had gone as far as she could with the two in the way of swordplay. Correcting their stances and helping with a few moves that they were both implying now. Also she had gotten the two to work together as a team in working to improve each other, though begrudgingly.  
  
Over the last two days she had also given them the gift of a new attack form.  
  
Ki blasts were now pretty easy on the two. Sesshomaru could gather one with more speed, but Inuyasha could make a more powerful blast. Yesterday evening she had even started to teach them the Kamehameha. Inuyasha had promptly in his impatience, took out a whole acre of trees in the process.  
  
Through it all, Lina had known that tonight was the night. She could feel his presence growing stronger in the back of her mind.  
  
He already knew where she stood on training the two in their swordplay and in the energy attacks, but he was the one who was better at swordplay and her magic, so her lifemate would show soon she was sure.  
  
Refocusing on the two before her, she called a stop to the practice and told them that they were now going to practice doing the Kamehameha.  
  
Both brothers, now in routine, brought Lina the practice swords and she promptly put them into their shed. The orange barrier dropped and the practice field deserted.  
  
Lina and the other two went over to another field where several posts were lined up at the far side with craters in the ground behind them. Looking over at the two, Lina spoke warningly, although they had heard this a few times over the last few days anyway. "Remember to please try to aim for the posts only. Also tell me when you need any help." Thusly saying this, she surrounded herself with a light yellow phosphorescence and walking over, stood at the end near a pile of new posts at the end of the field.  
  
Both brothers had no reaction to this or the yellow glow. The day before they had learned why she did this when Inuyasha had done his Kamehameha. As he had aimed at a post and shot it, Lina was close at the time. At first he thought he had killed her, but after the dust cleared, she had just stood there with an exasperated look and griped him out. The two had puzzled over it for a short while before realizing the yellow was for this purpose alone. So they had not worried about her getting to close to their blasts again, unlike before the incident where they were cautious. Lina had realized a short time later about this when their blasts got stronger after the incident. Resulting in further griping about holding themselves back, gaining her puzzled and disbelieving looks. 'She wanted them not to care for her safety?' was pretty much the shared thought, gaining them annoyed looks from Lina upon reading this in them. Shrugging, they had continued with the training.  
  
Lina looked on the two from her position near the posts. She had gone through ten of them so far and both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha seemed to be tiring from using their Ki so much in one evening. Clasping their hands at the wrist once more, both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha pulled their hands back as blue light condensed there.  
  
An echoing sound of, "KA ME HA ME....HAAAA!!!!!", was heard from both brothers as they released their attacks. Before them they took out the posts and a good distance of trees before Lina looked at the exhausted faces of her grandsons.  
  
"That's enough for now you two." Lina said with concern. "You both need to rest before we even try this again later." Lina continued as she forcibly dragged the two towards the main lodge as they faintly grumbled.  
  
After much pushing and shoving, Lina finally got the two up the stairs and into the main room. Still grumbling the two complied and admitting only to themselves their exhaustion, each went to their rooms for a well-deserved nap.  
  
Sighing with relief that they were out for now, Lina thought about how much time to let them sleep.  
  
Since it was mid afternoon, around two in the evening, if the sundial was still in its proper place after all the ground shaking. Lina decided to wake them up around dusk. Thinking about it again for awhile Lina redecided to let them get up whenever they were going to.  
  
Lina felt for her lifemate's energy and reached out for his mind. Feeling the mental block he had erected against her, Lina decided to get ready for her mate's arrival.  
  
  
  
An hour later~~ Main lodge ~~  
  
Inuyasha was in a sound sleep. His mind drifting as he snuggled unconsciously, further into his bedding. As pictures of Kagome came upon him.  
  
Gazing down upon her from his position near her doorway, Inuyasha sighed longingly as he looked upon the girl curled up on her bed. Clothed in a bright blue shirt and black sweats, Kagome was lying on her side as she held up a shard of the jewel to the light. Her expression of utter fascination and the feeling of contentment and happiness soothed the hanyou.  
  
For once she didn't seem to be stressed out about any tests or worrying about all kinds of little things. She seemed happy in a way that he had not seen her in for a long time.  
  
Studying her again, he had to admit he liked the change. Suddenly a bright smile seemed to appear upon her face. Another contented smile and sigh escaped her lips as she redirected her gaze to her window. Looking at it and up through to the sky, she relaxed and shut her eyes. Still smiling, she spoke. "Inuyasha. I know you are near somewhere. I can feel you."  
  
Surprised the hanyou looked around. This was a dream wasn't it? He remembered falling asleep in his room and the training of the day. Nowhere did he recall coming here.  
  
Feeling a tug at his mind and some slight confusion, Inuyasha walked towards the resting Kagome and stopped at the side of her bed. As he reached down he was surprised when he felt Kagome but did not touch her. It seemed that there was a force about an inch from the surface of her skin that he could touch, but no farther. Interestingly enough though, even when it didn't look like he was touching her, he could feel it like he was. Puzzling over it, he felt her shiver and chuckle softly.  
  
Reaching out to touch again though, he suddenly felt a forceful touch to his mind and heard a voice to echo it in Kagome's room.  
  
"Everyone meet me at the well clearing. I need to show you all something of great importance. Kagome, if you would. Please join us as soon as you can." As Lina's voice faded. Kagome's eyes opened and she stared through Inuyasha.  
  
Once again puzzling it and moving away from the bed. He watched Kagome put on her shoes and followed her down, listening to her tell her mother bye, and start towards the well. Feeling a wrenching as he left the house, Inuyasha awakened. Disoriented, he looked around his room before standing.  
  
Leaving the room, he found to his interest, that Sesshomaru was already there, and starting for the darkened doorway.  
  
Following him, Inuyasha made his way for the well. 


	19. The summoning

Chapter 19) The summoning  
  
~~ Kagome's Well~~  
  
Kagome was pulling herself up and out of the well as she felt Inuyasha nearby. Frowning, she wondered what she had felt a few moments ago.  
  
She had felt Inuyasha in her room and thought she felt him touching her, when she opened her eyes, there was no one there, even if she still felt him.  
  
Shrugging mentally, she crested the top of the well and looked around. The sight before her was interesting.  
  
Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were standing together to one side without the usual tension between the two.  
  
Kaede and the rest of the shard hunting crew were there to the right of them, along with a pair of Kitsune's off to their right and further off. Kagome was halfway towards Inuyasha, when she noticed that Shippo hadn't launched himself at her.  
  
Looking at the little one whose demeanor seemed to have drastically changed and was now following her. She made a mental note to ask Lina what the hell had happened while she was away. Almost everyone was acting funny to her so far.  
  
Reaching Inuyasha's side, Kagome got to her surprise, a possessive and affectionate hug and Kiss from the hanyou as his brother looked on impassively.  
  
Feeling a tug at her pants leg, Kagome looked down upon the kit that had finally seemed to get the nerve to touch her.  
  
Kneeling down and holding Inuyasha's hand at the knowledge that he would start growling at the kit at any moment, she looked at him.  
  
"Are you going to stay long this time Kagome?" Shippo asked in a small inquiring voice from his position in front of her.  
  
"Yes Shippo." Kagome said softly as she petted the little kit on the head.  
  
Shippo turning then redirected his gaze at the irritated hanyou and visibly became nervous. Running his foot in the ground in a tension-relieving move he gathered breath before starting his practiced speech. "I'm sorry Inuyasha for all the times I've made fun of you."  
  
Inuyasha stopped his sub growling right then and stared at the kitsune in shock. Hearing a small rumbling sound from Kateru in the distance, the kit blew out another breath before continuing. "I'm also sorry for all the times I didn't listen to you also. I'm just sorry." Seemingly done with his short speech. Inuyasha heard an approving woof from the older kitsune before Shippo visibly relaxed.  
  
Inuyasha, coming out of the shock, slowly allowed himself to smile warmly down upon the kit.  
  
"Truce?" Inuyasha asked the kit as he kneeled down beside Kagome and held out a clawed hand toward the kit.  
  
"Truce." The kit said with a big smile and sparkling eyes as he accepted the hand. Then launched himself at Kagome for a tempered hug.  
  
Entering the clearing, Lina let off a sub sonic woof off approval to all that could hear it before smiling warmly at the group.  
  
"I see that we are all present for my little event." Lina said in a warm voice as she walked over to the edge of the well and turned towards the group she had gathered.  
  
"This is a special occasion for me, since my mate will be here shortly and you will be meeting him for the first time." Lina looked over at her grandsons and noted no real reaction for the two, but the others were wearing a puzzled look.  
  
" Also since this is such a special occasion, I will be providing the fireworks and I was also going to show off a little." Smiling at the group of now all puzzled looks she chuckled softly.  
  
"But this also serves a second purpose." Lina said with sudden sobriety and with a sudden darkened look and a feel of slight malice about her presence, she continued. "I would like to also use this chance to warn your Naraku about just what he is to deal with if he fools around with my family and friends." A smile of such frightening malice and aggression crossed her face as she lowered her head to hide her expression as fast as possible. Inuyasha and his brother, as well as Kagome, caught this look and was surprised at her protectiveness. The others though, even if two of them knew Lina better than the others, stepped back from the feeling of such tangible aggression.  
  
Lina looked up after being able to school her expression. Smiling slightly she visibly shook as she calmed herself.  
  
Smiling widely once again after a moment while calm, Lina looked reassuringly at the group.  
  
  
  
Inuyasha heard Kagome gasp and her eyes open wide a few moments later, before he himself felt the surge of power emanating from Lina.  
  
Before his eyes, she was starting to swirl with a bright white power. Before he could blink though, him, Kagome, Sesshomaru, Kateru and his mate, and Shippo were all enclosed in clear barriers.  
  
"Do not worry. The barriers are for your protection only." Lina explained to the group from her position near the well. "All those with demon blood or as open to power as Kagome are being protected from this form of my magic." Lina said calmly and reassuringly.  
  
"This form of my magic is the least powerful of my magics. But it has the power to purify anything. I did not want to purify any of you or overwhelm anyone." Lina continued, as her power seemed to keep rising to Inuyasha's surprise. He had never seen a miko, let alone a youkai with such powerful purifying magic before.  
  
By this time, Lina was swirling in a cloud of wispy white columns of purifying magics. Lina was aglow from the inside as well and a gentle breeze lifted her hair which the magic had made sparkle visibly.  
  
Lina closed her eyes and began mumbling something, which began to gather a rhythm and became a musical song that the magic let drift from her position in the clearing, each note almost sparkling visibly. (avril lavigne's with you)  
  
~I'm standing on a bridge  
  
I'm waiting in the dark  
  
I thought that you'd be here by now  
  
There's nothing but the rain  
  
No footsteps on the ground  
  
I'm listening but there's no sound  
  
Lina's magic kept rising as the song progressed and soon she was lighting up the night like a high beam light bulb. Clouds suddenly threatened from above and thunder and lightning boomed around the group in the clearing, a light misting of rain began to fall.  
  
~Isn't anyone tryin to find me?  
  
Won't somebody come take me home  
  
It's a damn cold night  
  
Trying to figure out this life  
  
Wont you take me by the hand  
  
Take me somewhere new  
  
I don't know who you are  
  
But I... I'm with you  
  
I'm with you  
  
Inuyasha looked up and around suddenly as he felt another youkai power coming towards the group at great speeds from the east of them. Puzzlingly it seemed to be beating in rhythm with Lina's as she continued her song towards the heavens.  
  
~I'm looking for a place  
  
Searching for a face  
  
Is anybody here I know  
  
'Cause nothing's going right  
  
And everythigns a mess  
  
And no one likes to be alone  
  
Isn't anyone trying to find me?  
  
Won't somebody come take me home  
  
It's a damn cold night  
  
Trying to figure out this life  
  
Wont you take me by the hand  
  
take me somewhere new  
  
I don't know who you are  
  
But I... I'm with you  
  
I'm with you  
  
  
  
Suddenly a deep blue youkai power began to circle the clearing from the tree line. It matched Lina's power surge exactly and the dark haired youkai circling the group at a fast speed, soon began to visibly swirl with his own magic. Gold flecked, brown eyes peered back at Inuyasha inquiringly as he circled. Catching the light from Lina, the stranger's eyes seemed to glow with intensity as they looked upon her.  
  
  
  
~Oh why is everything so confusing  
  
Maybe I'm just out of my mind  
  
Yea yea yea yeah yeahhh  
  
  
  
It's a damn cold night  
  
Trying to figure out this life  
  
Won't you take me by the hand  
  
take me somewhere new  
  
I don't know who you are  
  
But I... I'm with you  
  
I'm with you  
  
Slowly Lina and the stranger's youkai seemed to grab out to one another. Connecting, the two youkai powers twined around each other, visibly combining after awhile as the youkai came down from his circling the clearing. The youkai came upon Lina and finally held her from behind as their youkai combined and flared out with such force that anyone not in a barrier was thrown back off their feet. Inuyasha clutched Kagome to himself, as he felt a prick of unease as he could almost feel the purifying power pour off the pair, through the thick, see through barrier that enclosed him, Kagome, Sesshomaru, and Shippo.  
  
Looking over at the Kitsune pair not far from them, he watched in interest, as they seemed to be visibly trying to relax themselves against their instincts to cower at the power from the two.  
  
~Take me by the hand  
  
Take me somewhere new  
  
I don't know who you are  
  
But I... I'm with you  
  
I'm with you  
  
Take me by the hand  
  
Take me somewhere new  
  
I don't know who you are  
  
But I... I'm with you  
  
I'm with you  
  
I'm with you...  
  
Swirling with power, feelings of intense peace and love poring from the two.  
  
Inuyasha could only stare at the pair in the clearing. They were pulsing with so much power that he was almost afraid to be so close to them.  
  
Suddenly upon the last of the song, the two's power seemed to recede into them and after a while in which he thought they were powering down, he got a shock.  
  
All the power he had felt a moment ago, the frightening intensity, burst up from the two like the mushroom cloud he had seen in one of Kagome's books. The power rolled up and then, like a sunam, rushed out and over the land. Staring at the two in worry. He watched as the song faded and Lina turned back and was kissed softly on the lips by the youkai that was her mate. 


	20. Warning

Chapter 20) Warning.  
  
~~ Kagome's Well ~~  
  
After a few moments of quiet, the barriers around Inuyasha and Kateru's groups fell. The rain stopped and the clouds cleared as if they were never there, the moon shown down with a fierce full light as the night creatures became active again. Kaede, Miroku, and Sango stood there as well with looks of amazement.  
  
Lina shared a look with her mate before leading him before the group. He was a few inches taller than Lina, who was Inuyasha's height, and had a head of shoulder length black curly hair. His eyes were a golden brown color upon closer inspection, with gold flecks within. He was heart stoppingly handsome with ears like Lina's and wore a deep, almost midnight blue, shirt with a beaded moon on the back with a matching blue set of leggings and black moccasins on his feet. Around his neck he wore a chocker of large black beads with a brass pendant in the center of the chocker in the shape of a circle with a large circle crystal imbedded in the center.  
  
Smiling at the group he looked at them all before speaking to them in a voice like honey. "Hello to you all. My name is Joseph and if you haven't guessed already, I am Lina's mate." Raising a perfectly sculptured eyebrow, he looked around. Noticing a blank look from all, he chuckled softly.  
  
Looking over upon his twinkling eyed mate, he magically produced a black backpack, similar in style to Kagome's from the air and opened it. Pulling out what was obvious to Kagome and a few others, as fireworks, Joseph inquired to the group with a jovial voice. "Now who wanted fireworks today?"  
  
Silence descended upon the group, until Shippo's brain registered the word "Fireworks". Kagome had explained fireworks to him once when explaining a festival she had gone to in her time. So Shippo knew what they were. "Fireworks?!! Real fireworks?!!!" Shippo questioned with alight eyes.  
  
Joseph knelt down to the kits level and held out a string of blackcat fireworks and waited for the kits reaction.  
  
"YEAH!!!" Shippo practically screamed. Snatching the firework string and Kagome's hand, Shippo drug her towards the village without further ado.  
  
Standing back up and looking over at Lina, Joseph followed the kit and soon everyone else followed to see the display of the "Fireworks".  
  
~~Kouga's camp~~  
  
Kouga breathed heavily as he looked out upon his group. They had barley made it out of the way of the large wave of purifying magic that had appeared out of nowhere. Sighing in relief that noone had been hurt; he looked towards the region that the magic had come from. Deciding that they needed a rest, Kouga directed everyone to relax for the time being. Looking around, Kouga found a nice smooth boulder near him to sit upon to ponder this new development. They had been searching towards the village Kagome stayed in, for signs of Naraku, when the magic had appeared to crash down upon the tree line. Everyone had run for their lives to higher ground. Luckily they had been at the base of a mountain when they had spotted it, so they hadn't far to travel. Briefly Kouga worried about Kagome. They were near enough and that kind of power was deadly to most but mikos, he hoped she was ok. Deciding suddenly to aleave his worry and to get to the bottom of the power, he directed his pack to get ready. They were going to visit Kagome in Kaede's village.  
  
  
  
~~Somewhere in the mountains to the west ~~  
  
Power larger than that he had ever felt before rushed to the forefront of his mind as he focused on the feeling. The power was pure but so strong that it made his pulse pound and his breathing laborious. Greedily he opened his eyes with a glazed look from his meditation pose in the middle of his chamber. The power was still rising and had yet to spike. It was just getting more and more powerful.  
  
Suddenly he felt another power that was just as large and reaching as the first. His eyes glazed even more as his curly hair blocked his face from view as he lowered his head. A rueful grin crossed his face as he felt the two powers become one and keep rising.  
  
Suddenly he felt a controlled peak of the two powers. It was enough magic to purify a small region or country. But he felt the being or beings holding back the power. This wasn't the full potential; he could feel that for certain. He was frightened a little really at such purifying magic. But it gave him a naughty shiver as well. Such power and he wanted it. It was almost more powerful than the bauble that Inuyasha was trying to recover, the very bauble that he had the most of.  
  
Yet these beings were more powerful than the shikon and he wanted to control that power.  
  
Shaking off his lustful thoughts, he sent some of his bees to scout the area.  
  
Summoning Kanna, Naraku looked upon her mirror as the bees reached their target area.  
  
Large bursts of stuff were lighting up the sky as the bees neared their targets.  
  
Kanna held up her mirror for her master.  
  
He looked upon a pair of odd youkai that the bees had picked out from the crowd below. Sure that they were being stealthy, he watched in fascination at the pair.  
  
Suddenly the female youkai looked straight at the bee. Naraku looked upon the mirror as she whisper mouthed one word. The bees died a quick death and every detachment Naraku sent just to be sure it wasn't a fluke, died as well. Finally Kanna's mirror developed a tiny crack, just enough to lower her power. Looking on with shock and a fearful fascination. He knew that the word was a sentence against the soul. It had been whispered onto the wind and with fear filling malice; each word flowed towards its goal to warn its victim of impending doom. "Naraku." 


	21. Wake up call

Chapter 21) Wake up call  
  
~~Kaede's village~~next morning~~  
  
Everyone had bedded down for the night after everyone had met Joseph and they had their fun with the fireworks. Inuyasha and his group were bunked down in Kaede's hut. Kateru and his mate had created a makeshift bed with a little magic, into the side of a hill to the north where the grass was tall and pungent. Sesshomaru had chosen one of the few trees in the area to get comfortable in for the night. Lastly, Lina and Joseph had also made a make shift nest under one of the trees in the middle of the rice fields out of the tall grass there and several buffalo hides.  
  
It was into this morning light that Kouga made a mistake. He went into the area of Lina and Joseph's sense range without knowing the consequences.  
  
The second his youkai presence was felt by the two, and a slight twinge of recognition was also felt by Inuyasha's now heightened senses. That the elder two reacted out of instinct and the need to protect their family. Joseph was the first to rise. Even in a groggy state the two were dangerous.  
  
Joseph let out a loud, subsonic, and menacing growl that every demon in the area heard. Thusly waking up everyone demonic in camp, and setting the young ones on high alert. Briefly his eyes blazed crimson and he shielded their presence without thinking, putting up a barrier of invisibility.  
  
Lina was a little less subtle, the second she started to show consciousness, her power flared up. With a groggy growl, nestling into her mate, she growled out the word "Wolf" and as she turned over to get her eyes out of the sun, a barrier promptly enfolded the village in a smoky, shifting, barrier where the other one was and thusly she fell back asleep. That and Kouga in his rush, promptly ran into above barrier.  
  
The second his body came into contact with the barrier, he bounced back off it and into a tree.  
  
Miroku, Kaede, and Kagome were promptly awakened at this time by the feeling of intense magic. Miroku in the instinctive rush to protect his fellow travelers, rushed to the door to look out. Kagome was thusly also hit by the need to look outside when she heard the whine and yelp that Kouga instinctively let out upon meeting Mr. Tree. Inuyasha was already outside at this time, now moving faster than he had ever moved before, due to his recent training, he knew exactly where and who were out there.  
  
  
  
Onto this scene, Kouga's poor pack was a rushed, mute witness too.  
  
  
  
"Kouga? Where are you?" Ginta called out as he and Hatkagoo (Ginta is the skunk haired wolf that follows Kouga and Hatkagoo is the Mohawk toting one for all those who don't know the characters) came out of the forest, before the rest of the pack. Looking around and breathing hard, Ginta finally spotted his leader, face down, at the base of a beat up tree.  
  
"Are you ok Kouga?" Ginta asked again as he rushed over to his fallen leader. Upon reaching him, he turned him over and to all their dismay, was out cold.  
  
Looking up he noticed the barrier and promptly told the pack to find a place to rest. He then gathered the bundle of sleeping furs from one of the minor wolves after finding a safer spot for Kouga until he woke up.  
  
Noticing now that Inuyasha was not in the hut, Kagome called out to him with a worried face. "Inuyasha?"  
  
Inuyasha was standing inside the barrier, looking out into the forest. "Kouga." He growled as he sniffed the air.  
  
Spotting Inuyasha from Kaede's hut, Kagome rushed to him.  
  
"What's wrong Inuyasha?" Kagome asked him as she came up beside him, a puzzled look upon her face.  
  
One word, growled out, made her puzzled look turn into a worried frown as she looked upon Inuyasha. "Kouga."  
  
Kagome then turned towards the barrier and peered out into the forest with apprehension. Inuyasha had just recently confessed in a round about way that he loved her and now Kouga had decided to show up. Did he have a sixth sense about how to come at exactly the wrong time?  
  
Walking up to the barrier wall, despite Inuyasha's protests to the contrary, Kagome was surprised when it felt like a stone wall but did nothing else.  
  
"How odd." Kagome remarked as she looked puzzledly at her hand as it rested against the wall. "Almost every other barrier we have encountered, reacted when you touched it."  
  
"Don't worry so much Kagome." Inuyasha said with a relieved sigh that this was one of Lina's barriers that didn't react negatively. "Lina has set up barriers before that you can touch. I've practiced under one many times in the last few days."  
  
"Really?" Kagome asked with an intrigued face and raised brows.  
  
"I wonder if she could help teach me some, since she seems to specialize in magic." Kagome thusly pondered aloud with a furrowed brow.  
  
"Ask her and find out." Inuyasha responded with a shrug, his attention still focused on the forest beyond the barrier.  
  
  
  
Suddenly Kagome and Inuyasha heard a voice calling to her. After a few moments they realized it was one of Kouga's companions. "Lade Kagome! Lady Kagome! How nice to see you." Ginta on the other side of the barrier thusly kneeled before Kagome, making sure to stay a short distance from the barrier since they did not know what it did to Kouga.  
  
"Why hello Ginta. Where is Kouga and why are you here?" Kagome asked with a kind smile. Ginta looked up and was surprised as Kagome freely touched the hanyou's arm, looking up at him, they shared a look as he quieted his rapidly escalating growl at the wolf before them. Ginta stored this look away mentally; he and the others knew Kagome's feelings, even if Kouga blindly denied them.  
  
"He is nearby. He was some how affected by this barrier and will be out for a little while. We came to search for the cause of the magic the other night." Ginta replied as he rose before Kagome who by now was standing next to Inuyasha.  
  
Nodding sagely, Kagome looked up at Inuyasha and decided to go in search of Lina so that the barrier would be explained. "We know about the magic, but I think it would be best to tell all of you at once. We will return in a little while, but be sure that no one else touches the wall. We don't want anyone hurt." Turning, Kagome entwined her hand with Inuyasha's and tugged him towards the tree she had seen Lina and her mate bed down under.  
  
Inuyasha looked down in interest and wonder as Kagome clasped his hand. Twining their fingers together he felt a gentle tug at his arm as he followed Kagome. 'I could get used to this' he thought to himself with shinning, appreciative eyes. 


	22. Kouga

Chapter 22) Kouga  
  
It had taken them nearly an hour to find Lina and Joseph.  
  
As it was, they wouldn't have even found them at all if Lina hadn't picked that particular instant that Kagome walked past the tree, to snore lightly. Inuyasha and Kagome had almost had a heart attack afterwards when Kagome had reached out tentivly under the tree and her hand had rested on a warm body that wasn't there.  
  
Now the group was assembled in front of the western side of the village, waiting for Kouga to make an appearance on the other side of the barrier.  
  
"No. I refuse to let it down." Lina said in a slightly annoyed voice as Kagome tried to plead with her.  
  
"I want to know the intentions of Karuma's grandson before I lower it." Lina replied with a characteristic Inuyasha pose. Head averted and arms crossed; Lina's face was anything but giving.  
  
"Who is Karuma?" Inuyasha asked from behind his grandmother.  
  
"Karuma was the wolf that lead the wolf pack in this area many years ago. I know he is Karuma's grandson by his smell. Dam wolf kept trying to take your grandmother away before your grandfather mated with her. Fucking stupid wolf. Didn't even realize that they were in love with each other. Had to be mated before he stopped." Lina's face was dark and annoyed after her little tirade.  
  
At this point, Inuyasha was much amused.  
  
"Sounds like he "is" this Karuma's grandson." Inuyasha said with a "wolfish" grin, as he directed a pointed gaze at the now frustrated Kagome.  
  
"Ah yes. I had heard about something along those lines before I made it here." Joseph replied from beside Inuyasha. His eyebrow was raised and his eyes almost twinkled with amusement as he looked at his mate.  
  
"Humph." Was their only reply from the direction of Lina and Kagome.  
  
  
  
Suddenly there was movement from the other side of the barrier wall, and an anything but amused Kouga appeared.  
  
"Are you ok Kouga?" Kagome asked with a concerned look.  
  
"Yes Kagome. What is up with the fucking barrier though?" Kouga replied and then asked with his characteristic arrogance.  
  
"Fucking Karuma all over again." Lina said in a low voice as she looked at Kouga from her side of the barrier.  
  
Kouga seemed startled for a moment as he looked at the strange youkai that growled the statement from the side of Kagome.  
  
"How the fuck do you know who my grandfather is?" Kouga growled at the newcomer. "Also how dare you speak of him in such a way."  
  
"I can growl about him however I want to pup." Lina growled back as she came towards him from inside the barrier wall. Stopping just inside the barrier, she flared her power a bit as she got agitated. "I knew him and though I respected him, he was a PAIN IN THE ASS!!!" Lina finished before him.  
  
Kouga, sensing the power flux, showed his shock and looked worriedly at Kagome from his current position.  
  
"Calm down everyone. There is no need to fight." Joseph said with a resisting hand on Lina's shoulder.  
  
Kouga looked on the new arrival with as close to gratitude as he allowed himself. This youkai seemed to ooze good tidings to all around him. Kouga watched as everyone around him seemingly relaxed in his presence.  
  
"No fair." Lina said a few moments later with an annoyed look back at her mate. "That's cheating."  
  
"I will use any means necessary to cool you down mate." Joseph replied, as he noticeably forced calm into his mate.  
  
After a short while, everyone seemed quite mellow, even Kouga's pack had decided that it was secure enough to come out and join him.  
  
"Now what about this barrier?" Kouga asked with a calm voice as he faced the group. "Do you know about the magic from the other night too? Ginta said that you knew something."  
  
"Oh we know something pup." Joseph said with a smirk. Apparently being the peacemaker for the group for now.  
  
Looking pointedly at Lina for awhile, Joseph exhaled a sigh of relief when she let out an exasperated "Humph." And a seven-foot high circle cleared between the groups.  
  
"If you would come in, we can explain everything." Joseph said with a sweeping gesture of his hand.  
  
Looking suspiciously at Lina, Kouga and his pack came into the barrier before it closed abruptly.  
  
"Humph. Come this way." Lina said with a small frown as Joseph and the others followed to the clearing a small distance from their current position, where she had explained before.  
  
Kouga not quite sure about this, followed after everyone, keeping a distance from Lina, who had dropped back near Kagome.  
  
Looking longingly at Kagome for a moment, he was annoyed a moment later and worried when Inuyasha gave him a dirty look and a subsonic growl was directed at him from Lina. 


	23. Under the tree again

Chapter 23) Under the tree again.  
  
With an only slightly ruffled look now, Lina settled down under the tree she had explained under just a week ago. Joseph rested beside her as the, now quite larger group, settled down around them. Thought Kouga kept his distance as Lina made a point of having Kagome rest in the spot beside her that she was in last time, Inuyasha beside her.  
  
"Ok. I told everyone before, that was here, that I would answer questions again." Lina said in a school teacher voice, as she tried to store her agitation away for now. Kouga just seemed to rub her the wrong way for some reason.  
  
"Now is the time to ask any questions you would like. Kouga." Lina paused in her talk, to look at him directly. "Since you were the last here. You get to ask questions first."  
  
Kouga with raised brows at this, thought for a moment before questioning. "What was the magic last night and who are you?"  
  
Lina looked at him now with serenity, she had finally gotten over her agitation and decided that he deserved a chance. "That magic came from me and my mate last night. To your second question, I am Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's "GREAT" grandmother."  
  
Kouga and his pack thusly had a look of shock.  
  
"What's been going on while I was gone?" Kagome asked from her position near Lina with a puzzled frown.  
  
"Kateru and Zera have been training Shippo in ways of Kitsune magic. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru have been studying with me and your other two friends have been rather bored from what I gather." Lina replied with a small smile.  
  
As an afterthought almost, Lina looked out over the group and announced something that seemed to surprise even Sesshomaru and Inuyasha. "Before I forget though. I was going to give a showing of what Inuyasha and Sesshomaru have been learning, also from what I have gathered from Kateru, Shippo was wanting to show you guys some stuff."  
  
Smiling a self-satisfied smile at the group she visibly seemed to wait.  
  
Sesshomaru and Inuyasha got a competitive light in their eyes and wolfish grins grazed their faces before they focused on Lina. "Does anyone have any more questions?" Lina asked them with a sparkling light in her eyes as she tried to ignore her grandson's looks.  
  
"Yeah. What the fuck is going on?" Kouga asked as he let a puzzled look take over his face as he looked at Lina.  
  
Chuckling at the outburst, Lina decided to reply. "We are getting ready to blow Naraku sky high."  
  
"Could you teach me some magic?" Kagome asked suddenly before she lost the nerve.  
  
Looking thoughtfully at her mate for a moment, Lina turned towards Kagome. "Since Joseph will be the one to primarily be teaching Inuyasha and Sesshomaru for the next three weeks, then sure. I can teach you in day and the other two in the evening. Since it will be two different types of training anyway, I'll be able to balance it out. We need you to get stronger anyway." Lina said with a thoughtful look. "I was going to train you anyway."  
  
"Ok with all of that settled." Lina said as she stood. Joseph rose beside her. "Lets get ready for that show off session and I was wanting to take one more day break."  
  
Leaving with Joseph towards the village, Lina shared a mental laugh with her mate. They had left some decidedly puzzled wolves behind. Soon Kouga would know not to mess with Inuyasha anymore. Hopefully also, Kouga wasn't quite as dense as his grandfather also, since Inuyasha and Kagome were starting to show their love. After a few touches and holding hands, he would get the picture.  
  
If not... Lina wasn't against a little talk with the pup about it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sorry it was so short. I was wanting to keep the action parts together. I'm working on it. 


	24. Showing off

Chapter 24) Showing off.  
  
An hour after the talk~~  
  
After deciding on a fairly clear field just beyond the rice fields for their show off, Lina assembled everyone a safe distance from the spot they were to start from.  
  
  
  
Walking over to her grandsons who were waiting with the main group she asked them. "Do you want the barrier up or not?" Getting interested looks from the others, Inuyasha shared a look with his brother before answering. "No." "Ok." Lina answered with a serious face. Turning, she made a "follow me" gesture with her hands as she walked to the center of the field.  
  
"Here are the rules." Lina said as she faced her two grandchildren with a small smile as she reached the center of the field. "One. You may use your swords but you may not kill one another." Lina said as Inuyasha's face brightened and fell, Sesshomaru only giving the feeling of disappointment. "Two. You will stay within a circle of two hundred feet and no further. I will put markers up just in case and whoever pushes the other out will be punished afterwards. The more you push your opponent out the worse it will be in the end." Lina said as her face set into an absolutely evil expression of glee. "Three. You may use your energy attacks I taught you. I will be protecting the group from you, but be careful anyways. You have been training under gravity so you will feel stronger and faster, so you might underestimate yourselves for a little while. "  
  
Looking between the two with a now rather normal expression and raised brows she nodded and proceeded to mark the circle of two hundred feet. Creating little pulsing rods she made the circle by hitting the ground and using her magic and releasing so they would stay. After completing her circle, there was a glowing stake every five feet and the brothers had relaxed into fighting stances in the center of the ring with their swords drawn.  
  
Coming back to the group outside the circle, Lina looked over everyone, noting their shock that the two were patiently waiting.  
  
  
  
Looking over at Kagome with her mouth open, Lina put a finger under her chin and brought it up with a small pressure. Kagome looked dazedly at Lina as Lina turned towards the two who were still waiting. Chuckling softly for a small while, everyone but Joseph jumped at the sharp and barked command. "YOU MAY BEGIN!!!!"  
  
In a flash of movement, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha came together with their swords, creating sparks as metal met metal. After grappling for a small while, they broke apart and after a small distance, started to come together again.  
  
Swords clashed violently as Sesshomaru slid back from his position, only to have Inuyasha back off the other way when he got into his attack. This went on for a few minutes as Kouga and everyone but the elder Kitsune pair and their grandparents gaped in surprise.  
  
Suddenly Inuyasha completely backed off and shouted. "Kaze no Kizu." And Tetsaigua released the attack towards his brother. As the four furrows cleared, Sesshomaru had dodged the attack and was in a crouched position not far from the furrows with a ball of blue light between his palms. After the rumble finally died down, all they heard was the last of the mouthed words of ".HAAAA!!!" before a stream a blue energy was released from Sesshomaru towards Inuyasha.  
  
As Inuyasha lightning quick got out of the way, everyone but the older couples went from gaping to gasping, as the attack went out of the marked area, all the way to the barrier that was still in place. As the explosion of power ebbed and imploded, creating a crater that was a good three hundred feet across, Inuyasha turned and was impressed at the fact that the wall was seemingly undisturbed. The wall rippled a bit but seemed to only add the power to itself. With raised brows at Lina and a cocky grin directed at his brother, Inuyasha restarted his attack.  
  
  
  
Lightning quick attack followed lightning quick attack for a few moments, as the brothers seemed to slide to a halt before the markers and lunge at one another. After a small amount of time both used the light attack from earlier on each other. Both crouched at the edges of the field as their hands locked into a pose of wrists together and hands cupped. Pulling back a blue light filled their palms as they both started the words. "Ka Me Ha Me.... HAAAA!!!!" Sesshomaru was done quicker than Inuyasha and got further before meeting Inuyasha's ball of energy. Both balls warred for a brief while before Inuyasha's pushed back and went at Sesshomaru. Dodging out of the way, the blast zipped past the watching group and as it exploded against the opposing barrier wall, the now visible yellow barrier around the group rippled before the blast subsided.  
  
"Ok you two that is enough." Lina said with a bland face. "I don't want you two to get too worn out from using so much power. You have only been using it for a few days besides." At the look and feel of annoyance and rising aggression between the two, Lina strode up to the center of the two before submitting her warning. "You two will quite right now or you will feel exactly what it feels like to be under 40 times regular gravity. Do you hear me?" Lina said with an annoyed growl at the end for emphasis.  
  
Both brothers backed down immediately. They had taken almost two days to get used to 15 times gravity. Dam if they were going to try 40 when they had just gotten used to the 15. Sheathing their swords, they followed Lina back to the group.  
  
Upon arriving at the group, Kagome gave Inuyasha a pointed look before he settled into a relaxed stance beside her. It openly said "We are going to discuss all the things you have done while I was gone, later", shrugging it off, Inuyasha focused his attention on Lina who was beginning to speak again.  
  
"Ok now it is Shippo's turn to do some of his magic." Lina looked down at the kit and her gaze softened, she added to her statement upon seeing his nervousness. "Anyone who doesn't want to stay can go rest now and I will come and get you when I am ready to show you something of importance, after dusk."  
  
Looking up at the group, she noted that no one was moving. Whether it is because of the shock of the earlier display or just their want to be there she didn't know. Looking back down upon the kit encouragingly, Lina led him into the center of the marked off circle she had led the brothers into not too long ago.  
  
Kneeling down to his level, Lina asked him quietly in his mind what he wanted to do.  
  
+Do you know what you wanted to do Shippo? +  
  
The kit looked up and placing his fingers of his right hand into his fist, he talked back to her, much as he had secretly done several times over the week when he needed a friend.  
  
+Yes, but I'm kind nervise. I've never done them in front of so many people before. + Shippo looked up at Lina pensively before staring at his hand and biting his lip in worry.  
  
+If it helps you can just focus completely on Kagome. Pretend that she is the only one you are doing this for. I know that one of your exercises with Kateru is focusing, so use it to help you here. + Lina gave the little kit a small smile and tight hug before standing up and watching as the kit turned and seemed to focus on Kagome.  
  
"Are you ready Shippo?" Lina asked in a kind voice as she stood beside him.  
  
"Yes." He replied in a confident voice as Lina got the impression he was now focused.  
  
"The first thing I wanted to show you is amplification." Shippo got out his toy top. Setting it down he began to set it spinning; it went into its large form. Putting out a finger, he lightly grazed the side, light enough to feel but not affect its spin. Immediately it began to grow in size until it was a few hundred feet tall and he was only touching the spinning base. Moving his finger back, the top diminished to its regular toy size dimensions. Putting it away he turned back.  
  
"Next I will show you transformation." Shippo turned into his blob like pink thing. Getting no reaction, his silly face became sillier as the pink blob turned into a dirigible, complete with compartment, and Kagome gasped. "I can now stay like this for quite awhile." Shippo proudly announced as he reverted back to his normal state.  
  
"Lastly I will show you scatter." Thusly announcing this with a big grin, Shippo multiplied himself. To Inuyasha's dismay and shock though, these weren't mere copies of their little Shippo. Each and every one of them felt and smelt real as can be. With a small-satisfied smile, all twenty Shippos lined up in lines of five on either side of Inuyasha and caged him in. All tugged on his pants and grinned evilly at him before running over and tackling Kagome in a big hug before Inuyasha whimpered at the site.  
  
Kagome would kill him if he hurt Shippo, and now he couldn't just bop one of his copies and make them disappear. There was no telling which one was the real one. They all seemed equally intelligent.  
  
Satisfied that he had gotten his point across. All twenty Shippos went into the center of the circle and lined up in a straight line of front to back. Sighing after a moment, the front Shippo seemed to relax as the other 19 slid into his back.  
  
Smiling briefly at the shocked crowd, Shippo was pleased when Lina scooped him up from her place beside him on the field. Snuggling up to her he almost silently purred his pleasure at the complements only he heard.  
  
+Very good Shippo. That was perfect. +  
  
Walking over to Kagome, Lina shared a look with the younger girl and an understanding smile. Everything was coming together, Lina thought to herself.  
  
Smiling inwardly, Lina released the barrier around the group and watched as everyone but Kouga's group lazily went back to Kaede's hut to talk about everyone's new powers and abilities.  
  
Lina felt a little sad for Kouga really, he was at such a loss right now. Suddenly smiling evilly inside, Lina decided that she might call her granddaughter from home. Her last son had married into the local wolf tribe of the area and was quite powerful. Maybe she could show the arrogant wolf a thing or two. Killing two birds with one stone was always up her ally.  
  
Joseph watched his mate as she walked before him as they returned to Kaede's hut. He watched her glance briefly at Kouga as they passed and worried at her match making look. Truth be told she had usually a 99% success rate and knew when to push too far. But he wasn't sure he wanted lecherism and denseness in the gene pool. Glancing briefly at the monk to his side he pondered for a moment.  
  
Poor monk, didn't even know about the touch of his blood was put there not just by Naraku. Windworkers were numerous and almost undetectable since they looked and almost smelled human. One of the branches of the family that was Windworkers, had married a monk a few decades ago. He could smell it in him, too bad he would have to find out how to use it at such a late date. It was always easier to teach them young.  
  
Sharing a look with his mate now, he knew she was following his thoughts, as was her way.  
  
Blue flame briefly echoed in her eyes, as she understood his intent. She would lift his curse and teach him soon along with the miko. Strong alleys were a good thing this round against the evil one.  
  
Nodding his understanding, Joseph followed her the rest of the way to the hut and the new announcements and explanations to everyone. So much training and so little time. He was grateful for the barrier though; it kept Naraku's expectations down. He couldn't sense anything through it and that would make defeating him so much easier. 


	25. Miroku

Chapter 25) Miroku  
  
Everyone was now resting before Kaede's hut. Lina had announced to all that she had some things to tell and discuss with them. This was a slight shock since they had already had a talk to them earlier.  
  
Kouga and his pack were just about to set down behind the circle of people sitting before her and Joseph as she made her first announcement.  
  
"First I would like to tell you all a little bit of information that I and my mate have just recently confirmed and would like to share with you." Sharing a look with her mate and a nod, Lina continued. "We have just recently had the fact that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are not the only grandchildren in the area we need to teach. Now this grandchild of ours has taken some time to confirm because the youkai he is related to is very hard to detect since they are almost undetectable from a regular human."  
  
To this, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru shared a look. They had no idea they had a cousin in the area. As far as they had known, their family line had little if no variation in it, since most siblings died or moved away.  
  
Focusing back on Lina they waited as she made her dramatic pause.  
  
Smiling warmly, Lina shocked Inuyasha again as she focused her gaze intently on the hoshi.  
  
Jaw dropped and worried a little, he focused on Lina a little more intently before he had his fears confirmed.  
  
"Miroku. If you would, please stand up for the crowd." Lina said as she kept her focus on the hoshi and all gaped at him.  
  
Worriedly, Miroku stood and faced Inuyasha's grandmother.  
  
"Apparently you have no idea who your mother really was? Do you monk?" Lina questioned softly.  
  
"I only know that she died when I was born. Everyone said it was due to the curse of the family that did it." Miroku answered with his monk face as he worried about the information that he felt he would hear.  
  
"Well from what I have heard through the family. There is a genetic defect most Windworkers have that can affect them during childbirth if the normal youkai precautions are not taken. That is probably why she died during your birth, but I am here to tell you "grandson" that she did not die from the curse from Naraku." Lina said with a serine face as she emphasized the grandson in her statement and shocked all in attendance.  
  
"No way am I related to that lecherous hoshi!!!!" Inuyasha stated from his position near Kagome as he scowled at Lina.  
  
"Tragic case of denial." Lina said with a smile and thoughtful face as she looked at her lifemate, nodding she refocused.  
  
Sesshomaru after hearing this just raised a speculative brow at his brother before focusing his eyes intently on Miroku.  
  
"On to my next announcement." Lina said with a wide smile as Miroku sat down hard in shock. Raising her hand with a finger pointed, Lina went to her next joyously announced sentence. "I can lift the curse that Naraku put on your hand little one. Also, I am going to teach you a little of using that tunnel of yours and a little magic along with Kagome. You will need it in our upcoming fight with that resurrected annoyance."  
  
Smiling so wide that most thought she would break something, she continued with her little tirade.  
  
"The "Wind tunnel" you have on your palm Miroku, is a youkai trait. Most Windworkers have one, along with the ability to use air to float or wield in many different forms." Lina then looked out over the brief assembly as she let that soak in. "The tunnel in your hand is only slightly affected by the curse Naraku put on your family." Lina focused intently on Miroku now, since this was mainly information for him. "Naraku's curse mainly just makes the tunnel unclosable. In any regular Windworker it would just look like a black circle on the palm, that opens when needed, but on you it isn't controllable."  
  
Looking thoughtfully over the group for a moment of speculation again, she refocused back on the hoshi. "I speculate that your mother thought your father was a Windworker when they first met. When they had you though, the curse was weakened since the wind tunnel is a normal thing for them. "  
  
Suddenly the implications of what Lina was telling him came to the forefront of his mind and Miroku couldn't stop his outburst. "I'm a hanyou?"  
  
Chuckling softly, Lina and Joseph both shook their heads at the dense group before them.  
  
"I will break the curse for you tomorrow my grandson, since you need to rest up for the procedure. You need to be fresh and at full power since it pulls a little energy from you to complete." Lina said to the still dazed monk. "Then I will begin your and Kagome's training in magics. "  
  
Now focused on Kouga she decided to make another announcement. "Next on the agenda." Lina said with a still happy sound. "Will you be staying Kouga? I can teach you some things so that you will no longer need the shards imbedded in your legs. Consider this carefully though," Lina said with a raised finger and warning look, "you will not have those shards forever. Kagome will need them sooner or later if the jewel is to be completed."  
  
Kouga mesmerized for a moment, shook it off and considered her statement carefully. He knew he needed further training if he was to help defeat Naraku and soon he would have to give the shards over. Looking speculatively at the two youkai before him, he remembered briefly the display of earlier. In only a week, Inuyasha had improved immensely under her tillage.  
  
"Yes I will stay." Kouga announced and grinned at her.  
  
Nodding over the group, Lina decided to put her plan into action and closed her eyes and looked to be thinking. Feeling briefly for her son's mind, she told him to send Corba to them. Her granddaughter would know better how to train him in things specific to wolves, since she was training four people already, she needed the help.  
  
Looking over the group once more, she studied their faces intently. Miroku was still slightly dazed, she didn't blame him though, not many found out that you were a hanyou and your curse could be simply lifted all in one day.  
  
Inuyasha was still scowling at her and every once in awhile, and then looking at Miroku with a speculative look. Apparently he wasn't totally against the fact that he now had a cousin, though a lecherous one at that.  
  
Sesshomaru was once again focused on her. She searched his eyes and lightly touched his mind, and felt only acceptance. She guessed since she had already told him that he had more relatives, that he was kind of open to the possibility.  
  
Looking over at Sango, she noted that Miroku wasn't the only one who was kinda dazed. She guessed that having another relative of Inuyasha around was kind weird for her, even if she had been traveling for two years with him.  
  
Kagome seemed to be taking this well Lina noted next. She was just smiling, happy as can be, seemingly looking for similarities between Inuyasha and Miroku. To no surprise, Inuyasha was beginning to get annoyed at this when he noticed.  
  
Kouga was still smiling, Lina noted as she turned her head at his intent stare. Looking at him briefly, she noticed the intelligence locked behind his naiveté.  
  
Sharing a knowing look with Kateru and Zera, she smirked; they knew exactly what she was doing. They knew meddling was a pastime of hers.  
  
Looking over at her mate, she noted his tiredness, it was near noon and he was hungry and a nap sounded good to her. Kissing him gently before looking at everyone with a small smile, she decided to let everyone relax for the evening.  
  
"Since there was nothing really else I wanted to discuss with you. I suggest we take a lunch break and you can do whatever you like until dusk. I wanted to show you all something before we get ready for tomorrow." With that said, Lina and Joseph rose and walked a short distance to a shady place under some trees not far away.  
  
Joining their hands together, all watched as some magic pulled off of them to create a large thin bamboo table of approximate ten by ten in size. None but Kouga blinked at this act since they had seen much magic from the two.  
  
Although when Lina brought two capsules out of her pocket and showed Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, everyone was puzzled at the extra glint in Inuyasha's eyes.  
  
Kagome laughed a moment later when Lina and Joseph took one each and tapped them at opposite sides of the table. A poof sounded and a dark smoke erupted from each capsule, when the smoke cleared though, the table was filled to almost brimming with food.  
  
Everyone also watched as a green light started glowing between her hands as she held them horizontally. Suddenly several wooden plate/bowls (they are deep plates) appeared in her grasp. Enough for them all.  
  
Putting them on the table next to the chopsticks that had appeared from the capsule, Inuyasha reacted first, since he knew the drill pretty much, and took one. Going first to the ramen, he was the first to set down a short distance from them and began eating.  
  
After this delayed reaction, it was no time before the table was cleared and everyone had found something to do or somewhere to hide.  
  
Lina and Joseph watched from their blankets sleepily as Inuyasha deftly hid Kagome with him after asking Lina about the Invisibility spell. Lina laughed softly as she noted that Kouga walked past their sleeping/sunning spot in some deep grass, not thirty yards from Lina. They were so cute curled around one another on Kagome's sleeping bag.  
  
  
  
Snuggling up to her mate, Lina sighed in contentment as she sunned herself from their bedding. After a time, the whistling of the wind through the trees and the soft chirp of the birds lulled her to sleep with a happy grin on her face. 


	26. The meeting of Corba

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Inuyasha. Also, some of the Windworker Ideas in the last chapter, I got from the story "The well". I think that is its name anyway. Good story, it is on FF.net if anyone wants to check it out. Highly recommend it. Good additions to it on mediaminer too.  
  
  
  
Chapter 26) The meeting of Corba  
  
  
  
Dusk had fallen for almost an hour, when Joseph and Lina rounded everyone up at the north side of the barrier.  
  
Looking out upon the assembled group from where she and Joseph stood with their backs against the barrier, Lina held up her hand announcer like, and spoke in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear.  
  
"Ok everyone, just so you know what is going on here, I am in need of some help with training all of you. So I am enlisting one of my other grandchildren to come and help. You will be meeting her shortly." Lina noted the shared look between the brothers and the waiting air about the group. Smiling, Lina noted that everyone was getting used to all the new changes now, they didn't even react much anymore to a sudden change. "Also, since we are training so many more of you, upping the power level in the area as well as a resulting you are getting more powerful. We are going to be putting up another barrier around the two existing ones we already have up around this village and around the training ground. This barrier will alert Naraku even worse about my and my mate's presence, but will make sure he has no idea about your heightened abilities until it is too late." Lina stopped and was aware of the evil grins some of the group sported now. She smiled inwardly at this; she was also looking forward to surprising Naraku when the time came.  
  
Spinning around, Lina held her mate's hand as a hole appeared in the barrier as they walked out into the field that lay past. The hole closed and Lina and Joseph turned around towards the group again after they got a good distance from the barrier.  
  
Everyone but Kouga's pack watched with anything but just in interest as Lina and Joseph started glowing a faint white. With hands still clasped, Lina and Joseph slowly stepped away from each other until their arms were outstretched. With a feeling of building energy, the white glow began to become a white spiral of power that curled around each figure. As the power rose, it was then joined with a green magic that seeped from the ground and the air began to sparkle around the pair as their spectators watched.  
  
With a shared smile from the pair they slowly let go of each other's hands. As they did this, the powers arched across the distance like electricity. When the pair fairly hummed with the power they were exerting, they made a distance of about five feet between them before the power began to arch all across their bodies, creating an electric doorway affect. From this doorway and the smiling pair, a figure appeared before the group.  
  
The apparently wolf like demon that emerged, smiled softly before turning towards the pair as they slowly walked back beside each other.  
  
"Hello grandmother, grandfather." The strange youkai said with a smokey voice.  
  
The female was pure white. Her calf length hair shown snow white in the moonlight. Her ears were between youkai and the ears of her grandparents. They tipped up and back but did not crest her head. Her eyes were chocolate brown with a green outer rim and her cheeks had a singular silver stripe cresting each. Her tail of also of snow-white fur, came out three feet behind her and was as puffy as Sesshomaru's own tail. Her outfit of pure black leggings, fringed shirt and black moccasins had no adornment and her bone-beaded chocker was only adorned with a wolf's claw and small downy eagle feather.  
  
Lina and Joseph nodded to their granddaughter in acknowledgement as they reached a distance to clasp hands once again.  
  
Slowly, Lina and Joseph looked on the group with now wicked grins as they suddenly darted off.  
  
Kouga blinked as the two disappeared and sighed heavily as he watched the luminescent barrier start up almost instantly later, to circle the area a good two miles away.  
  
The group waited a short while as they watched the two sides of the huge barrier go up in opposite directions. It was amazing really that the two could construct such a large barrier. It starting about two miles out from the barrier that circled the town, circled out from it and around the training area and back again.  
  
Studying it for a short while, the group actually came to the consensuses that it was more like a wall than a barrier. It was like a pale glowing white that reached for the sky and you couldn't see the top. It just glowed on the horizon, no matter where you looked.  
  
  
  
As the wall was about to be completed, the youkai slowly walked towards the group behind the barrier and smiled warmly at them. She didn't even seemed fazed as her grandparents materialized out of nowhere to flank her as she got within two feet of the barrier wall.  
  
Lina, always the spokeswoman, bowed briefly to the group and introduced her granddaughter. "Everyone, this is Corba. She is one of our first generation grandchildren. She is the daughter of our last son. "  
  
Turning towards her grandmother, Corba hugged her tightly and then turned to her grandfather to do the same.  
  
The group watched this as Kagome smiled at the three with warmth in her eyes.  
  
"It's been awhile you two." Said Corba as she shared a smile with her grandparents.  
  
"Yeah, three weeks." Lina smiled back with a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.  
  
Turning and trying to serious things up a bit, Lina clasped Corba's hand as her mate followed her. She opened up the barrier wall and let it closed as they passed. Coming up to the group, Lina let Corba get to know everyone in her own way.  
  
"Hello everyone." The enthusiastic Corba said to the group.  
  
"Hello to you too." Kagome cheerily replied as the others had mixed reactions.  
  
Sesshomaru nodded his head in acknowledgement and noted to himself to talk to her later. Inuyasha, not knowing what to do with the enthusiastic youkai, tried to fend her off to no avail, since Kagome was trying to get him to converse with his cousin. Sango was smiling at the two, as she watched Kagome and Corba get acquainted. Shippo was dancing up and down to get their attention, since Kagome was in her own little world of girlish conversation. And poor Kouga, a pretty girl, at least half wolf demon, with a charming smile and a Kagome like attitude. He didn't know what do do with himself.  
  
Kateru and Zera just hung back watching the festivities and smiling wickedly at Lina and Joseph as they returned the look right back.  
  
Leave it up to Corba to find the most talkative and sociable of the bunch and bond like cement.  
  
Shaking their heads at the positively varying group, the older four left the others to deal with their genius I.Q, lonely, talkative, granddaughter. 


	27. Set him free

Chapter 27) Set him free  
  
  
  
The next morning~~  
  
Morning light streamed through the trees and the twit of birds filtered softly through the air as everyone awakened.  
  
  
  
Corba had made herself comfortable and slept on Kaede's hut over the night. She had done her self-introductions quite well and made a fast friend out of Kagome.  
  
Lina and Joseph were once again under the tree in the fields, under their buffalo hides.  
  
Kouga and his group were sleeping under some pelts as they clustered around Kaede's hut. Seemingly a fur carpet in places.  
  
Inuyasha, Kagome and Shippo, slept together in the tall grass, not far from Lina and Joseph. Inuyasha had to resort to the Invisibility spell again, since Kouga wouldn't leave them alone.  
  
Miroku and Sango, coming to a agreement, that Kaede was being harassed by wolves as it was, decided to sleep in as companionable silence as the two could reach, under some trees near the bridge across from Kaede's.  
  
Kateru and Zera slept again in some deep grass along a hillside near the village, while Sesshomaru slept in the same tree as the day before.  
  
After about two hours of everyone awakening and Kouga having to kick his pack awake, everyone was around Kaede's hut once again.  
  
Lina spoke up to the group as most stared at her groggily. "Ok everyone. We are going to be starting training again today. I will be training Kagome and Miroku magics after I remove his curse. If you want to stick around for that you can." Lina finished as Miroku brightened and smiled sleepily at her with joy.  
  
"Inuyasha and Sesshomaru will return to the training area with Joseph today, but I will be showing it to Kagome later on today since she asked." Inuyasha looked over at Kagome with a speculative look before directing it on Lina as she smirked at him before continuing.  
  
"Kateru and Zera will be staying here to train Shippo, since this area is the safest from Naraku right now." Kateru nodded his rust colored head as his black eyes twinkled. Zera on the other hand combed her clawed hand through her obsidian tresses and her eyes twinkled at her mate. Walking over to Shippo, she picked his sleepy form up and rested him against her flowing white kimono.  
  
"Kouga, you and you will be training with Corba, as well as any of your pack that would care to learn as well. Your training ground will be the forest between the village and the training grounds. Most of the skills you will be learning from her will be best used there." Lina smiled as her announcement made Kouga's eyes widen as he stared at Corba with a pained look.  
  
Lina smiled inwardly, she was going to get Kouga yet. Corba was just waiting for the right man, she had said so a hundred times before. Smiling outwardly now, Lina made sure her evil grin wasn't directed at anyone in particular; it wouldn't do if they got suspicious.  
  
"Ok on with first business. If you would come with me Miroku." Lina said as she put her hand abound the wrist of his cursed one. Dragging him a good distance away to a flat field to one side of the village, she pointed him towards the forest and began to explain what she was going to do.  
  
Lina turned to face Miroku, coming into him field of vision to look into his eyes. He seemed pensive for a moment as he looked towards his cursed hand and them back at Lina.  
  
Smiling warmly she spoke. "Miroku, your curse isn't that bad really. We will take it off and then you will have to learn to control your wind tunnel. Is that understood?" Lina looked into his eyes for acknowledgement as she smiled encouragingly at her grandson. Receiving a nod slowly, Lina looked down at the hand. "Now I am going to put a small barrier on your hand. Ok? It will allow me to remove the rosary, so I can remove the curse."  
  
Miroku looked scared for a moment, as he looked at Lina in absolute horror. Shaking his head viciously no. Lina tried to comfort him with a look and stroking his cursed hand soothingly.  
  
"Now Miroku, you know my barriers are strong and nothing will happen to you or your friends. It will not affect anything and it wont suck in a thing. Ok?" Lina soothed as she looked into his eyes. Slowly he relaxed and after a tense silence he nodded in acquiesce.  
  
Circling her hand around his cursed one, Lina created a small white barrier that circled his hand and extended down to his elbow that glowed softly.  
  
Looking up to make sure he was focused on her, Lina stuck her hands into the barrier and slowly released the rosary confining it. Feeling his panic start to rise, Lina flipped around to trap his arm under hers where he could not see what she was doing.  
  
As he struggled with her, Lina finally released the wind tunnel. It sucked at her hands inside the barrier before they started to glow green. Lina closed her eyes as Miroku started to feel his strength leave him. Panicked now he fought her iron grip on his arm.  
  
Lina's hands glowed brighter and brighter green as little zips of white light came off Miroku's arm to brighten the glow. As the green turned neon in color, Lina swiftly pressed both palms of her hand over Miroku's wind tunnel. For a moment it seemed to be sucking them in until they seemed to be resting just against his palm. Slowly as she pressed harder, the wind stopped and Miroku's hand pulsed greed with hers. With a loud sizzling sound and quite a bit of whispy black smoke from the space between Lina and Miroku's palms. All was quiet.  
  
Miroku, now thoroughly exhausted, could only gape as Lina released his arm and the barrier dropped.  
  
Studying his palm in morbid fascination, he noted the dime sized black circle in the middle of his palm. Scratching at it for a short time, he looked up tiredly at Lina. "Thank you." He all but whispered as he finally noted that he and Lina were in the middle of a bright white, ten-foot wide barrier.  
  
Everyone was watching with expressions from shock to anger, anger mainly from Inuyasha who had yet to put away Tetsaigua. Apparently thinking that Lina was hurting Miroku during the process.  
  
Smiling wearily Miroku acknowledged that maybe his fighting Lina during the process couldn't have helped.  
  
As the barrier fell from around Lina and Miroku, Lina moved out of the way as Kagome and everyone rushed in to check on their comrade.  
  
Smiling softly at the weary Miroku, she shared a look of gratitude and understanding with him as Kagome started to organize everyone into the action of getting Miroku a place to rest.  
  
Coming up to Inuyasha, Lina rested her hand on his shoulder and squeezed softly.  
  
As he looked over at her with an annoyed scowl, Lina spoke to him in a warm tone. "He will be alright. He is finally free." Smiling warmly now, Lina left the wondering gaze of Inuyasha as he watched Miroku being taken to Kaede's hut. 


	28. to the well and power for all

Chapter 28) to the well and power for all  
  
  
  
It wasn't long after the curse was lifted, that Lina had organized everyone to their prospective training locations.  
  
Inuyasha and Sesshomaru went with Joseph after he and Inuyasha said bye to their prospective other halves.  
  
Corba took the pack to the barrier wall between the village and training area and Lina made a hole in the barrier that would open and close when any of them needed in or out.  
  
Sango and Kirara, feeling left out, asked Lina what they were to do. Lina, with a disgusted look, told Sango that she had completely forgotten to tell her about the assignment she was going to send the hunter out for during the commotion of earlier.  
  
"Take this to the old stone well that is a day's travel to the south of here." Lina told Sango as she gave her a gold coin with the symbol of a phoenix on it. "This well will know what the coin means." Getting a puzzled look from the huntress, Lina smiled and continued. "Drop the coin into the well and read this parchment to it." Lina pulled out of her pack a tightly packed roll of parchment with a black cord around it and placed it into the open hand not clutching the coin. Looking into Sango's eyes with a searching look, Lina whispered the last part to the hunter. "Make sure to memorize the response and return here, then I will have something for you to learn. " Smiling slyly, Lina waited for Sango to become astride the now transformed Kirara before coming up to her to tell her the last part. "Demon hunters were trained first by my family anyway." Sango, eyes wide, allowed Kirara to become sky bound as the barriers opened up to allow them out into the forest beyond the village.  
  
Smiling to herself, Lina ignored the interested looks from Kagome and Miroku, who were not thirty feet from where she had talked to Sango.  
  
Smiling ruefully, Lina clapped her hands and directed the duo to follow her to the field that she had taken Miroku a few hours before.  
  
  
  
~~ An hour later, miles from the village ~~  
  
Sango was still astride Kirara and was still puzzled by her mission.  
  
She had initially wanted to learn something new when she had asked Lina about what she was to do. But Lina had surprised her with this quest, but wasn't really surprised about the statement about demon hunters.  
  
Little was know about how the first demon hunters had learned their skills and how their form of combat had originated from. Many in her village, before Naraku, had speculated about it. Some had thought the priestess Mideroku had taught them, some said a kind demon had taught the village to repay a debt owed to them, and some had even gone all out and said aliens had done something to them.  
  
Smiling to herself now, Sango wasn't quite sure of the last two you could call Lina and her mate. They were from another reality, but did that make them aliens?? She couldn't hold in an evil smirk. Lina might think that was funny, her thinking them aliens.  
  
Looking down at the scroll at her hip, Sango speculated what it was. She would get to see it soon, but she might look at it before she reached the well. Lina didn't say she couldn't read it, she was supposed to memorize the response anyway.  
  
Sighing, Sango redirected her attention to the horizon, where her target was. She hoped she would be able to find this well in the forest.  
  
  
  
~~ back at the village ~~  
  
Lina was shifting her attention between her two pupils.  
  
Miroku was being given the task of learning control. Lina had stacked up a pile of palm-sized rocks, all the way up to eye level. Miroku's task was to throw a rock, open his wind tunnel, and only suck in the rock. After the first few times, Miroku was getting better. But only after Lina had explained how to even open the wind tunnel in his hand.  
  
Looking over at Miroku as he tried to open the tunnel as instructed, Lina had taken his hand and facing it to the forest, directed him to put a small amount of his power into his hand and relax.  
  
As his hand had glowed a slight white, and his hand relaxed as he could relax it, his hand had given a small pulse before the wind tunnel had opened. At first it had panicked Miroku, before Lina had slapped him and getting his attention, told him to just tense his hand up. Tensing that part specifically, his hand had pulsed again and the tunnel closed.  
  
Scowling at the monk, Lina had explained it. "Now you have to focus your power into your hand before it will open or close. Just tensing your hand will not do that. You can also direct how large you want your tunnel to open, thus giving you control, by how much you tense your hand up. Cupping you palm will also allow you to direct the suction to certain objects. Your body is made to counteract the tunnel anyway, so do not worry about it sucking you in." Patting him on the shoulder, Lina had left him to his exercise and over to Kagome, a short distance away.  
  
Kagome was also getting a task to do. Lina had asked her if there was any time she used her power effectively.  
  
Lowering her head, Kagome had to tell her that the only times where when someone else was controlling her.  
  
Lifting her chin up so Lina was looking into her eyes, Lina smiled gently at the sorrowful look on the young girl's face.  
  
"That is a good sign then Kagome." Getting a puzzled look, Lina only smiled a little wider. "It means most of your powers have already manifested themselves and you just lack control." Eyes now twinkling at the scowling Kagome, Lina waited for the realization to dawn on her pupil.  
  
Smirking, Lina noted that it was rather long in coming. Kagome scowled for quite a while as her mind zipped over the possibilities.  
  
When she finally got the idea, Lina could only laugh at the awed look from the girl.  
  
"You mean that was really me?" Kagome asked with a surprised face as she pointed at herself. "I thought it was mainly those who were controlling me. I was never able to do all those things and they went away when I was just me."  
  
"Well that just means they knew where to tap into, but all the powers you remember using are still there. They didn't give you any new ones, just used your own powers against you." Lina said as she sat on the ground at Kagome's now puzzled again feet.  
  
Looking up at the girl as she was deep in thought, Lina smirked evilly. "So. Do you want to learn how to make all your superpowers work? Hummm wonderwoman?"  
  
Smirking still at the startled look from Kagome as she now looked down upon the youkai. Lina's eyes twinkled as Kagome outright smirked back.  
  
"Sure. But can I really leap tall buildings in a single bound?" Kagome had to ask.  
  
Pulling Kagome down, Lina couldn't help but laugh at her audacity before wagging a finger at the girl. "Now, Now, that is superman, not wonder woman. You might be able to though. If I think about it though and you promise to be good, I might teach you how to be faster than a speeding bullet."  
  
Kagome's mouth dropped open as Lina turned away from her and tried to not laugh till her sides hurt at the expression of disbelief on Kagome's face.  
  
Looking back, Lina took he hand and closed Kagome's mouth, which seemed to be on a permanent hinge.  
  
"Now I need you to relax and concentrate before we start. This is the first step in your training." Lina said as she got the girl's attention.  
  
Focusing on relaxing, Lina waited until she seemed relaxed in an excited sorta way. Shrugging at the fact that Kagome's excitement would hamper their success for a short while, Lina then directed her to close her eyes and blank her mind.  
  
Lina watched in amusement as it took a good ten minutes for Kagome to relax into the position to her satisfaction.  
  
"Now Kagome, I want you to picture a white light." Lina said in a hypnotic voice. "Tell me when you have pictured this light."  
  
Waiting a moment, Lina got a "Hai" from the girl before continuing. "Ok now picture expanding that light until your entire mind is full of white light. Don't think at all. I will know when you are done."  
  
Taking another ten minutes, Lina was finally satisfied with how empty and how Kagome's picture was complete.  
  
"Now put yourself into this field of white." Lina said in her still hypnotic tone. Kagome by this time wasn't really there, kinda in a trancelike state. So Kagome automatically did what Lina told her to do. Suddenly she was in her mind and in the center of a completely white space. Everything was white, as far as her eyes could see. Lina's voice seemed to echo from everywhere, yet nowhere.  
  
"Now feel around, much like you do when tracking shards. Where do you feel the power? When you sense it, follow it to its source. You will know when you find it."  
  
Kagome looked around and sensed a shard. Fallowing her instincts, Kagome ran to her right as fast as she could, to her surprise she was very fast in this world of white, skimming the surface and leaping much like Inuyasha. Feeling it near, Kagome veered to the right a small bit before noticing a slight pink tinge on the ground.  
  
Looking down, after skidding to a stop. Kagome picked up what appeared to be a complete Shiko no tama on a golden chain.  
  
"Have you found the power yet?" Lina's voice echoed.  
  
"Yes now what do I do with it?" Kagome asked Lina from her position beside Lina in a monotone voice. Smiling in success, Lina answered.  
  
"Take the power and absorbed it anyway you like. It is already a part of you, you must find a way to connect with it."  
  
Thinking about it for a short while, Kagome lifted the jewel on its chain and placed it over her head. Smiling down at it, Kagome couldn't help but think of Inuyasha. He wanted the jewel so bad, but it had only caused him trouble.  
  
Suddenly though, the jewel lit up bright white and sank, chain and all, into her skin. Pulsing softly, the jewel seemed to be residing in her heart.  
  
Looking up when she felt another presence in this field of light, Kagome was surprised at what seemed to be Inuyasha in her mind.  
  
"Hello koi." The vision of Inuyasha said.  
  
"Inuyasha?" Kagome could only ask in amazement.  
  
Laughing, the vision shook its head. "I am not the Inuyasha you know. I am the part of you that belongs to your soulmate. Just like there is a part of your soulmate that looks like you."  
  
Gasping Kagome placed her hand over her heart where the jewel was slowly expanding and making all of Kagome pulse with power.  
  
Grinning toothily that was eerily like the real Inuyasha, the vision continued to explain. "You Kagome are part of a soul that has been linked for countless eons. Our soul was meant to meet forever and join forever."  
  
The vision came up to the startled Kagome and ran his clawed fingers through her hair as he looked tenderly down upon Kagome.  
  
"I will always be with you Koi. Your mind had made me your guide until you are ready to use your power correctly and until our souls are complete." The vision kissed Kagome gently on the forehead before hugging her tightly.  
  
  
  
Sighing in contentment, Kagome allowed her vision of Inuyasha to hold her here.  
  
"Now you need to leave this place Koi. Lina is waiting for you. I will always be here when you need me. Just remember that I am still a part of your soulmate, but only a part. Do not rely on me too much. Now go." The vision of Inuyasha holding her faded as Kagome noticed the power consuming her and her trance broke.  
  
Lina, knowing what was happening to the girl, held her arms to her sides as she awoke and started pulsing white strongly as she struggled.  
  
"Kagome, remember that you are you. You are here. This is reality." Lina said to the heavy breathing girl as she calmed.  
  
Lina looked sharply up over her head and shook her head at the monk who had turned from his task in worry. Going back to his task, Lina was able to refocus on the girl.  
  
"Do you feel the power now Kagome?" Lina asked the girl as she opened her eyes and looked at the ground and seemed to be openly calming herself.  
  
"Yes, it sorta feels like a adrenaline rush after a battle, but one that doesn't go away. My entire body is energized." Kagome said in a breathless voice.  
  
"Good. Good. Now you can tap into that power. First though, I think you need to get used to the feeling. " Lina helped Kagome up to a standing position and made sure she could balance properly. "We will do some archery for a time, until you get used to your body feeling this way."  
  
Kagome smiled inwardly. She felt great! Briefly she wondered how many of the things she had done in the past, she could do now.  
  
"Pace yourself." Echoed through Kagome's mind briefly, in the voice of Inuyasha.  
  
Smiling to herself, Kagome noted the feeling of a connection or bond at the back of her mind that she didn't feel before. Noting to herself to examine it later, Kagome decided to heed the Inuyasha voice of reason. Smirking to herself for no outward reason, she had to inwardly laugh. Inuyasha... the voice of reason? 


	29. the well of souls

Chapter 29) the well of souls  
  
Sango had been in the air all day and after spotting the well at dusk, decided to set up her camp near the well and return back in the morning.  
  
Getting a fire started and her pack rolled out, Sango took a moment to study the stone well before her.  
  
It seemed to be made out of black granite rocks and its poles seemed fairly new and up kept.  
  
Before the well was a small stone with fresh incense burning atop it in big fat cones. The smell of pine drifted from them.  
  
Walking up to the dark well, Sango looked into the sparkling water and wondered what was so special about this well.  
  
Shrugging, Sango returned to camp to complete her set up of camp before the sun completely set.  
  
After she was finished and her dinner caught and eaten, Sango retrieved the coin and parchment before walking up to the well.  
  
Opening the paper, Sango waited a brief moment before flipping the gold coin into the water inside the well.  
  
After a short time of nothing happening, Sango opened the paper and was about to start reading when the well lit up with a white light and a voice boomed out.  
  
"Who comes to ask of this well with a token from our old friend Lina."  
  
Swallowing, Sango proceeded to answer the well.  
  
"My name is Sango and I was told by Lina to ask you a question." Sango said uncertainly to the glowing well that sparkled in the night.  
  
"Ask your question Sango." The well replied in a courteous manner.  
  
Looking down upon the parchment, she began to read.  
  
"Well of Souls and Destiny questions plenty have I. The miko Kikyo had died many years ago and was reincarnated then separated from her new soul. She keeps saying she is to take my grandson to hell. How was she reincarnated if she is to go to hell?" Sango asked the first question with widening eyes.  
  
The well chuckled briefly before speaking. " Lina always asks too many questions. The soul you speak of was reincarnated yes, but it was not a complete reincarnation the first time. The soul that is now called Kagome is the complete reincarnation of Mideroku, but Kikyo was only half. When Kikyo is released from her confinement in the clay pot she is trapped within, her soul will be purified and returned to complete the soul. Then she will be reborn for her soulmate again. She must be returned before her soulmate can join completely with her. Tell Lina the last is of great importance messenger Sango." The well said in a lecturing tone.  
  
Deciding to continue, Sango with wide eyes, spoke the next line. "Another question have I. The evilness that has returned to this land has weakened considerably over the last few emanations it has taken. Can it be completely destroyed this time?" Sango lowered the parchment, intent on listening to the answer.  
  
"Ah yes the evil. Each emanation, when it has been reborn, the evil has lost a part of its soul. During each battle with its foes the soul has slowly been purified, thusly if they defeat it this time the soul will be free to finally find its mate after so many centuries. " The well said in a pondering voice as Sango's jaw dropped. Were they talking of Naraku?? Hummm.  
  
Shrugging Sango read the last part of the parchment. "My last question I promise my friend." Sango read aloud as the well chuckled warmly. "There is a pair I teach now. Their powers rival that of me and my mate. Are they the ones prophesized?" Sango asked as the chuckling abruptly stopped.  
  
With a wizened voice and solemn sound, the well answered the last question. "Only tell Lina yes. She will know what we mean."  
  
Nodding, Sango lowered the parchment before the well asked her a question she did not expect.  
  
"Now messenger Sango. Lina does not send messengers unless there is a good reason. Do you have a question for us? And will you speak with us for as long as you are here? We rarely have anyone to speak with."  
  
Sango smiled sadly as she perched upon the edge of the softly glowing well and looked down upon the waters.  
  
"Yes, my brother was killed and resurrected by the evil Naraku. He only lives by a shard of the shikon jewel embedded into his back. Naraku has made him do terrible things. Should I just let him die when we complete the jewel?"  
  
"Do not worry child." The well echoed out softly in a grandfatherly voice. "The jewel in your brother's back does not keep him alive. He had had it so long that his soul will not escape when it is removed, but once he comes back to himself he will need you and the one you love to help him. Your love for him and your soulmate are needed to help him through his guilt."  
  
Nodding in understanding. Sango spent a few more hours conversing with the well as kirara, who had been at her feet the whole time, cuddled into her lap for a good petting. It asked her about their quest, everyone in their group, and mainly about Lina and her mate, explaining that it had know the youkai for quite some time.  
  
Night wore on as everyone slept. Unaware that Naraku was plotting again as he amassed his power. Finally Naraku had met someone to fear. Absently in the back of his mind he acknowledged with foreboding that everything was coming to him in a case of déjà vu.  
  
  
  
Sorry it was so short. I mainly wanted this chapter about Sango for all those people who were wondering where she was in this fic. 


	30. pointless fluff and the start of kagome'...

Chapter 30) Pointless fluff and the start of Kagome's visit.  
  
~Training area next day~  
  
Kagome could only stare at the camp Lina had built for Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's training in awe.  
  
The buildings were quite large and in a western fashion. The sloped roofs and lodges were polished to a gleaming shine and the early morning light reflected off the logs with a rosy hue.  
  
The main lodge was before her now after Lina had awoken her early this morning and patted her on the back reassuringly as she had instructed Miroku to practice like yesterday. Telling him that they were going to the training area only seemed to make him grimace for a short while after Lina let him go back to sleep in his blankets upon some fragrant grass, under some trees lining the way to camp.  
  
Now with a gesture, Lina directed Kagome up the steps and into the lodge where she was invited to rest in a chair off to the right that was situated between two Freudian style couches in a rich red velvety cloth.  
  
Sitting down, Kagome studied the room as Lina walked to the wall on the far side of the room where a blue and green door sided beside each other, evenly spaced along the wall.  
  
From where she sat upon the black leather chair, Kagome couldn't resist reaching out and running a palm along the fabric of the right couch as she studied the dining area that was along the farther wall.  
  
A western table of cherry wood gleamed in the early morning light as several picture windows let in light along that wall and the one behind her. Estimating it to be at lease six feet in length, Kagome wondered how it had gotten into the room. Looking behind it and its set of six western style wooden chairs, Kagome noticed the built in shelves, which housed an odd assortment of earthenware bowl/plates, and a box of black lacquer chop sticks.  
  
Redirecting her attention she looked to the middle of the huge room and to the back of both areas, she noted the pit in the center of the room for fire. Looking at the fireplace in interest, Kagome wondered how Lina had shaped the beaten copper tube that bent over the fire and flared out to a distance of five feet in circumference at the bottom, above the fire.  
  
(A/N: Think about the fireplace that was in the beach house in the movie "Millennium man" if you need a better visual reference.)  
  
Suddenly after the small amount of silence and her study of the room, Kagome redirected her gaze to Lina who had been rapping her knuckles against the doors for the past few moments and noted the annoyed look on her face.  
  
Grinning at the youkai when she noted her intent look, Lina smiled evilly and stepped back from the doors.  
  
Holding her gaze, Lina raised her right hand, fingers extended, Kagome wondered as she lowered each finger slowly. When her hand was fisted though, Kagome jumped when, after a deep breath, Lina roared. "GET UP NOW!!!!!!!"  
  
Eyes wide, Kagome could only stare, as Lina's grin only got eviler at the solid thumping sounds coming from behind both doors and smiled as she heard the matching bellows.  
  
"GRAMS!!! DAM YOU!" "LINA!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"  
  
Eyes twinkling, Lina walked over to the left couch in front of Kagome, and to Kagome's surprise, after only a few seconds, looked totally innocent of all wrongdoing.  
  
Whispering and looking at the doors in female wonder, Kagome asked Lina the question that was itching to escape. "How do you do that?"  
  
"Do what?" Lina asked with her calm voice and angelic expression as her gaze darted from Kagome to the two doors a few times before she grinned in a very innocent way and focused on Kagome.  
  
"Go from evil to innocent in the blink of an eye." Kagome said in a tone as if wanting to know how the earth had started life.  
  
Grinning evilly for a moment, Lina replied before going angelic again. "Practice."  
  
At that moment, a rather haggard Inuyasha staggered out of the green door to stare blearily at Lina and Kagome before realizing he only had on his pants.  
  
Turning to go after his upper robes, Inuyasha grumpily commented before leaving the room. "You could have chosen a nicer way for the morning wake up call."  
  
Raising her voice and dropping her innocent expression for a teasing tone, Lina replied from her lazy position, laying on the couch. "But what fun would that be?"  
  
Lina laughed as Kagome tried to stifle hers when Inuyasha could be heard grumbling through the doorway.  
  
As the two waited, the blue door opened and Sesshomaru entered the room with his usual cool look.  
  
Allowing an annoyed tone out for a moment as he directed his gaze at Lina, Sesshomaru commented as he came toward them. "Good morning. Grams."  
  
"Hello Sesshomaru. Could you wait here a moment with Kagome as I go wake up my mate?" Lina questioned as she rose and met her grandson near the fire pit.  
  
"If you wish." Sesshomaru replied as he passed his grandmother, receiving a pat on the shoulder as he passed.  
  
"I wish for a lot Ses, so don't leave that so open." Lina replied as she grinned evilly at him before back tracking and out the front door.  
  
Silence descended for a short while as Kagome looked at Sesshomaru and Sesshomaru looked at Kagome. Raising her brows at him she almost shared a pained look before Inuyasha came into the room and the tension eased.  
  
"Dam Lina. That floor is cold." Inuyasha grumbled as he came out of his room to set down look at Kagome with a scowl from his new position on middle of the couch to her right  
  
Reaching out, Kagome palmed one of his hands as his scowl lifted and he visibly pouted as he looked down.  
  
"Aren't you happy to see me at all Inuyasha?" Kagome asked teasingly she reached out with her other hand and lifted his head to look at her as she placed her warm, soft hand under his chin.  
  
A few moments passed as his eyes searched her and his pout turned into a toothy grin.  
  
Feeling the undercurrent between the two, Sesshomaru feeling like a third wheel, went to the porch to wait for Joseph and Lina to show up.  
  
Left alone in the room, Kagome and Inuyasha hardly noticed as he lifted her hand that clasped his to his mouth to kiss with a now tender look.  
  
Kagome could only share his look as she let her mischievous hand to trail from his chin, and up to his left ear to tease the fir there.  
  
Grinning evilly when Inuyasha's eyes closed and he leaned into her hand with a moan of near ecstasy, Kagome let her eyes dart towards the door as she moved to set beside Inuyasha and giggled as he followed her hand with his head until he was resting in her lap.  
  
Using both hands now, Kagome couldn't cover a large shake of her head as Inuyasha purred in pleasure. Mentally picturing him with a tail like Sesshomaru's, Kagome could not hold in another loud laugh, knowing quite well that Inuyasha would be wagging his with gusto right about now.  
  
Grinning, Kagome caught sight of a blur as she noticed Sesshomaru ducking in a moment to see what was up. Smiling to herself now, Kagome couldn't help noting the look of appalled fascination on his face for the moment he had looked in. Smiling secretively, Kagome could only wonder what was going through his mind and knew to talk to Lina about him.  
  
Smiling evilly, Kagome could only grin wider as Sesshomaru ducked in a second time as if he didn't believe it the first time. Catching his gaze for a moment, Kagome noted his eyes widen as he noticed him being caught. Sticking her tong out at him a moment, Kagome noted the puzzled look on his face before he ducked back out again.  
  
Smiling to herself now, Kagome mentally noted that Inuyasha's brother had just shown at least three facial expressions in the last few moments. Grinning from ear to ear, Kagome wondered what was up with him. If she didn't know better, she would say that he was almost acting human.  
  
Looking down at her puppy, Kagome could only laugh as he let out another hart felt moan at whatever pleasure he was getting from his petting.  
  
Wondering absently about if his stomach was just as sensitive as some dogs, Kagome let go of an ear and lightly scratched his stomach, only to have him freeze, still purring. Apparently the stomach was a bit more sensitive to dog demons than dogs.  
  
Looking down and into his passionate gaze, Kagome noticed a gruff cough from outside as she guiltily looked at the door and back down at the grinning Inuyasha. Filing the stomach thing back in her mind, Kagome tugged on both his ears gently in affection before kissing him deeply from her bent over position.  
  
Kissing briefly again, in the awkward position, Kagome lifted her head and shared an intimate look with Inuyasha as they rested comfortably, Kagome petted his hair softly as they both focused their attention on the front door and waited. 


	31. Lemon one linjo

Nope. Don't own Inuyasha. Oh well.  
  
Note: This is the first of several lemons. I was planning on an inu/kag first, but the story just went here. I promise that they will have their day in the sun and quite a few more for the others. This is going to be a "Long" fic by the time I'm done I'm sure. So set back and relax and please review. Need input!!! (Sorry for my "short circuit" moment.)  
  
Chapter 31) Lemon one Lin/Jo  
  
Lina crept up the lodge steps and passed the totems as she sneaked back through the main room and the one leading to storage, before coming to the rosewood door blocking the bedroom.  
  
Whipping it open and zipping in, Lina stopped for a moment to gaze intently at her resting mate.  
  
Soft sunlight filtered in through the windows against the creamy yellow blankets and settled onto the bed with a warm glow as Joseph's hair spread out across the snowey white pillow in a black silk cloud.  
  
Gliding up to the side of the bed, Lina allowed an affectionate smile to rest upon her lips as she neared the head and watched as he nuzzled the pillow before grunting and turning to face her from his normal sprawled position.  
  
Closing her eyes to take in his scent of native earth and sun-warmed pine, Lina was oblivious as Joseph allowed himself to open his eyes and grin wickedly.  
  
Reaching out slowly, and making sure his scent did not change so she couldn't tell of his wakefulness, Joseph got within a centimeter of closing his hands around her hips before she opened her eyes and swiftly looked down.  
  
With lightning speed, Joseph closed his hands around her hips and jerked as she yelped before falling onto him as he chuckled evilly.  
  
Spinning her around and pinning her beneath him, Joseph could only grin at the sexy grin that was on her face as she stared back at him knowingly.  
  
"Naughty puppy." Lina said in a chasting tone and a wagging finger before his nose as she smiled up at him.  
  
Wiggling his eyebrows at her, Joseph nuzzled her neck and nipped a few times before licking from her shoulder to her ear and nuzzling behind it sucking. After a few moments and a moan from Lina, Joseph nodded his head in satisfaction at the hicky there before growling out. "We'll see who is naughtily now wont we?"  
  
Grabbing both hands, Joseph pinned Lina's hands before kissing her passionately. Allowing his temperature to rise, along with other things, Joseph waged an ongoing battle to trap Lina's wily tong before groaning and admitting defeat, which made Lina tap his tong with hers before grinning broadly.  
  
"Mmmmmm. We need practice don't we?" Lina asked in wide-eyed innocence.  
  
"Grrrrrrr. Practice? Practice? Woman I don't need practice!" Joseph said as he took both hands in his left before taking a clawed finger and running it down both arms and down her neck before slicing all the way down to her waist, grinning at the ripping sound as Lina's mouth opened in shock and annoyance.  
  
Sputtering out a rather blistering reply, Lina didn't notice when Joseph released her hands and took both hands and with a finger of each, ran them from her ankles and up each leg to stop at the end of his earlier slice before allowing his hands into the gape of the sliced fabric.  
  
Moaning now at the feel of his rough, warm and wicked hands ridding her of her clothing, ripped though it might be, Lina was distracted as he sat her up and latched onto her left nipple and cupped her breast, kneeding it tenderly.  
  
"Mmmmmmm." Was her mindless reply as his left hand traveled down to reach under her butt to lift her up and into his lap as he removed the rest of her ripped clothing.  
  
Mindlessly rubbing herself against the bulge in his pants, Joseph could only groan as his mate ran her hands up through his hair to touch the sensitive edges of his ears.  
  
Running her tong over his canines, Lina sniffed appreciatively at the arousal scent coming from her mate as he began stroking the sensitive nub between her legs.  
  
Rearing up hard against his arousal at the sensation, Lina broke off her inspection of his mouth as he moaned loudly before running her nose down his neck and nipping at his collar.  
  
Pulling up on his shirt in impatience, Joseph helped with an annoyed huff at the loss of contact with the center of Lina's pleasure.  
  
Tossing it away, Lina could only revel at the return of sensation as she spread her legs wider, to straddle his legs as she allowed her hands to lightly feather from his ears, down his back and to the front of his pants to cup him through the fabric as he shivered hard.  
  
"Lina." Joseph gasped out a moment later as he released his hand from its favored location, to lay Lina out on the bed beneath him as he shucked his pants off and released his rock hard arousal.  
  
"Mmmmm." Was Lina's comment to this as he hands went down to rub over the familiar territory, rubbing the drop of his essence into the head of his shaft. Gripping him a little and running her palms down his length, reacquainting herself with his velvety texture, Lina squeezed briefly at the base and watched him shudder again in pleasure. Squeezing him again for good measure and smiling at his indrawn breath, she couldn't let the temptation go and gently allowed her right hand down to cup his balls tenderly as he nuzzled her neck and nipped her in response. Letting go of him with her right hand, she nuzzled him in return as she let her left hand glide over his shaft over and over.  
  
Grinning evilly, Lina allowed her right hand to teasingly run over his hip, over his butt, up his back, and up his neck to settle there as she pulled him forward for a deep French kiss.  
  
Groaning into her mouth as Lina pumped his shaft, rubbing his juices over him every once and awhile while she ran her tong over his tong, before playing with his teeth. Joseph could only mindlessly follow her lead as she tugged lightly on him as his groan turned growl.  
  
Pulling up for air, Joseph allowed his nose to nuzzle her nape and lick at the edge of the claiming bite at the back of her neck and watched her shudder, before positioning himself at her entrance.  
  
Feeling the heat and slickness before him, Joseph licked at her neck and sank his teeth deep as he entered her with force.  
  
"Joseph." Lina breathed out as her vocabulary expanded and felt the arousing sensation of her mate's pleasure at the back of her mind, echoing hers.  
  
"Feel me mate." Joseph ordered as he pulled back and allowed a sweet shudder to rack his form at the always stunning sensation of entering his mate, as if it was the first, and feeling her echoing reaction in the back of his mind.  
  
Feeling the sweet pull and drag of his possession, Lina could only moan helplessly as he pushed hard with each stroke against her center of pleasure.  
  
Feeling the building heat in both of them, Lina could only gasp for breath.  
Allowing her hands to roam while she absently noted the pleasure of him flicking her nipples and rolling his fingers around them then running his fingers lightly around the taunt tips as she returned the favor. Grinning at the moaning glory of watching him as she licked her fingers, before returning them to his hardened nubs.  
  
Speeding up, Joseph could only note hazily through the echoing pleasure between the two. During this sort of thing, Joseph usually couldn't tell where his pleasure ended and hers began, since they were so familiar with each other's minds.  
  
Gritting his teeth at the intensity of the sensation as her teeth grazed the mark at the back of his neck that matched hers, Joseph wasn't prepared for the overwhelming sensation of pleasure when she sank her teeth into his exposed neck as they both reached their peak.  
  
With a flash of fire through both of them, Lina could only helplessly grasped against his neck and clasped her mates butt as she road out the wave moaning his name as she released her grip on his neck.  
  
Jerking still after a few moments, Joseph could only release his hold on her neck and lap affectionately at the mark, as he lifted his gaze to the glazed eyed look of his mate as she panted shallowly and nuzzled him sparadically, and he relaxed finally.  
  
"A pleasure as always madam." Joseph purred into her ear as Lina chuckled deeply in satisfaction from her place beneath him.  
  
"Ahh yes. Did you want me to place you on my dance card again next time sir?" Lina returned with a smile as Joseph groaned at her bantering as he rubbed his sweat slickened forehead against hers before dropping his head to nose against her neck, taking in her scent lazily.  
  
"You are just bad." Joseph drousily returned as he playfully nipped at her ear. Hearing her indrawn breath, Joseph smiled against her neck as he patiently reminded her of her prior obligations.  
  
"Remember the children my love." Joseph said as he propped himself up on his elbow as he rolled off her.  
  
Turning to look at him, Lina groaned in frustration as she closed her eyes and pouted.  
  
"Cant I just play for a few minutes longer mommy?" Lina asked imploringly at her mate as he grinned and shook his head.  
  
"No. Now get up and get dressed." Joseph said as he rolled off the bed to dress in his discarded clothing.  
  
"Awwwww." Lina groaned in a tone that would put any teenager to shame as she opened her twinkling eyes and rolled off the bed.  
  
Looking over at her mate, who was dressed now, Lina let out a heavy puff of breath before with a resigned look, put her left arm up and swirled her index finger over her head as a green mist enveloped her for a moment before solidifying into clothing that looked exactly like her earlier clothing.  
  
Coming over the pile of ruined clothing beside the bed, Lina lifted them with a raised brow at Joseph before huffily tossing them out the window and taking his hand to lead him out of the room.  
  
"Lets go." Lina growled as Joseph's mouth hitched up at her irritation at reminding her of everyone outside the room.  
  
Shaking his head at her as she pulled him along, Joseph chuckled internally. 


	32. Contemplation and breakfast

Chapter 32) Contemplation and breakfast  
  
Sesshomaru was looking out at the dissipating mists before the main lodge as he rested a hip along a section of horizontal pole that ran between the supports on the porch.  
  
Although there was no way of visually telling what he was thinking, there was a rather heated debate raging behind his normal stoic expression.  
  
`Why do I feel jealous of that stupid hanyou? ` Sesshomaru asked himself for like the tenth time since his little encounter with curiosity and Kagome's tong pointed at him.  
  
`I have never wanted anything he has had except father's sword the entirety of our lives. Yet the look of utter contentment and love I just witnessed in there sparked something. ` Allowing a slight lowering of his brows as he focused unblinkingly at the tree line, Sesshomaru continued his self- contemplation.  
  
`I don't know what has been happening lately to me, yet I feel more relaxed lately. I shouldn't relax though. ` He remained himself sternly. `Naraku prays on those who relax, those who let down their guard, I need to get a hold of my emotions. ` Nodding to himself, Sesshomaru grimaced visibly before returning to his blank expression.  
  
`But I cant! I just don't know why. But I can't seem to lock my emotions away anymore. This could be a rather large problem. ` Sesshomaru thought with an odd sensation in his chest.  
  
Rubbing the location above his heart absently, Sesshomaru allowed himself a sigh.  
  
Leaning back against the supporting pole behind him and sitting on the pole beneath him now, he allowed himself his guilty comfort of thinking of Rin to calm him.  
  
Picturing her smile a moment and the feel of her curled up next to him, Sesshomaru sighed again as he felt his tension slowly leave.  
  
Frowning briefly, Sesshomaru chasted himself for the thousandth time in the almost two years since allowing the child to accompany him, that he shouldn't allow himself to depend or care for a human so much.  
  
Blanking his mind out to clear his conflict, Sesshomaru just sat there for a time and closed his eyes as the gentle, warm south wind ruffled his hair as the sun warmed his almost peaceful form.  
  
Sighing in guilty pleasure at just relaxing for once, Sesshomaru was purposefully left alone as a cloaked pair of figures smiled at one another and entered the lodge with a capsule full of food.  
  
As Lina lifted her finger to her lips in a signal of quiet, both her and Joseph crept into the lodge on silent feet as they allowed their grandson some tranquility.  
  
Raising his head after a few moments and allowing a brief smile after opening his eyes, Sesshomaru went inside after smelling the food smell wafting through the windows. Knowing Lina and Joseph had arrived a moment before Sesshomaru shook his head and opened the door as his hair flared out briefly at the action.  
Inside~~  
  
Kagome was giggling from her position on the couch, with Inuyasha's head still in her lap as she watched Lina produce the capsule in magician like fashion.  
  
Twirling the capsule in the air for a moment, Lina grasped it lightly between her thumb and index finger before playfully showing her imaginary crowd as Joseph made appreciative sounds for her and clapped from his seat at the head of the table behind her.  
  
Putting her other hand over the capsule as she showed her audience, Lina widened her eyes a moment. "Now you see it." With a poof behind her, Lina smiled broadly as she opened her hand and the capsule wasn't there. "Now you don't." Grinning broadly now, Lina bowed as Joseph clapped again.  
  
Only to boo a few seconds later when the smoke cleared and the food was there with the capsule in the center of the table.  
  
Feigning fake surprise, Lina tried to play the hurt magician as Inuyasha groaned at her theatrics and Kagome let out a soft catcall, thinking of Inuyasha who was only a foot and a half below her.  
  
"I don't know where I went wrong." Lina gasped theatrically. "It should have disappeared. I don't "know" where I went wrong." Gasping again and raising her right hand to dramatically lay over her forehead. Lina dropped to her knees and looked up at the ceiling imploringly as Inuyasha groaned again. "I'm such a failure. How am I "ever" going to live this down? I'll "never do magic AGAIN!" Before Lina promptly fell forward with a soft thump as Sesshomaru came in and looked at Lina as if she had lost a few marbles.  
  
Joseph clapped and groaned as Lina shot up off the floor and bowed as Kagome clapped. Inuyasha, not knowing what to think, just looked up at his love in puzzlement before sharing a look with his brother that spoke volumes. `Oh well, can't choose your family. `  
  
Grinning and rushing forward, Lina tried to grab Inuyasha's hands before he frowned and with a `help me` look at Kagome. Allowing Kagome to link her hands with his as a `Lina deterrent`, looking strangely at his grandmother as she looked between the two and turned. Calling over her shoulder, Lina bounded up to the table and kissed her mate before sitting down next to him. "Come and eat."  
  
Sharing a look with Kagome, Inuyasha released one of her hands before leading her to the table to eat as Sesshomaru went to the built in shelves for eating utensils.  
  
As they all sat down, Lina smiled as everyone dug into their breakfast.  
  
Wheels churned hard as she planned how to allow Kagome to train with Inuyasha for today with a little off time this afternoon.  
  
Looking over at her mate and finding the knowing expression on his face, Lina allowed herself to smile wickedly at him with a naughty thought directed at him.  
  
Noticing the shared look of heat between Inuyasha's grandparents, Kagome smiled a knowing smile before turning to Inuyasha who was rather oblivious as he chowed down.  
  
Feeling inside her head for the connection she had felt since yesterday, Kagome allowed her grin to widen as she allowed herself to picture the feeling of running her fingers up his ears lightly, tickling the guard hairs along the way. Connecting with that sensation and the connection at the back of her mind. Kagome watched Inuyasha stiffen and shiver after a few moments as his ears perked up and shook delicately.  
  
Joseph looked down the table knowingly after a shared look with Lina to confirm the shift in Kagome's aura. Both older youkai could feel it as it twined with Inuyasha's, but not quite able to completely connect.  
  
Noticing his gaze, Inuyasha sent Joseph a guarded, yet puzzled look at him after feeling the strange, yet arousing sensation of someone playing with the sensitive edge of his ears.  
  
Watching as Joseph redirected his gaze, Inuyasha followed it to Kagome as she stared off and out the window behind the table. Inuyasha watched spellbound as she licked her lips briefly and after a moment widened his eyes at the feeling of a tong running up along the edge of his right ear.  
  
Shuddering a moment in irrepressible response, Inuyasha could only stare at her before allowing his gaze to return to Joseph's for a moment as the older youkai nodded almost untellingly.  
  
Focusing on Kagome intently as he returned to eating, now with his chair sideways and bowl in his lap, Inuyasha waited for what she would do next.  
  
Eyes widened a moment later again as she refocused on her food and rubbed her palms briefly against her legs before picking up her chopsticks and a feeling of being rubbed down there appeared for a brief moment.  
  
Smiling broadly through his ramen, Inuyasha watched as Kagome noticed his gaze and asked him innocently. "What?"  
  
"Oh nothing." Inuyasha said cryptically as he turned his chair back towards the table and wondered if the last part was on purpose.  
  
Sharing a look with her mate, Lina knew it would only be a matter of time before her grandson took his experimenting mate, if she didn't try to take him first. 


	33. Starting to connect?

Yes.. I'm finally updating. With getting moved in on by relatives, I just haven't had the time or concentration. Although sometime soon, I am going to do a massive rewrite on this story. I went back and read the beginning again and just felt that it needed to be smoothed out a little. Oh well. On with the story.  
  
Chapter 33) Starting to connect?  
Kagome noted briefly the sounds of metal clashing as she watched Inuyasha practice using the tetsusaiga on a barrier that Lina had constructed and had to admit that his response time had greatly improved.  
  
Turing briefly for a moment, Kagome also looked over to check on how Sesshomaru's progress. As he barely kept Joseph's swift, deadly, and obviously not trying strokes, from injuring him in their practice match with their swords.  
  
A sudden shaking of the bench she sat on, redirected her gaze in time to see the backfire of the blast that Inuyasha had sent towards the barrier and watched with fascination as the colors swirled around the barrier she sat in. Looking forward again, Kagome concentrated on the feeling of magic as Lina constructed a new barrier, per Lina's instruction.  
  
Briefly Kagome looked up at Lina and noted her nod and smile at the concentration given to the power that had swirled off the youkai.  
Breathing hard, Inuyasha raised his look of inquiry at his grandmother at the intense feeling coming from her newly constructed barrier.  
  
"What's up with that? I don't know if I can break that. It is almost as strong as the barrier you have around the village. Are you sure we need to be able to break something that strong?" Inuyasha asked with an intense frown as he looked into his grandmother's mischievous face.  
  
"You can." Lina said as she paused with a wicked, yet brief grin before continuing. "But only with help."  
  
"Help?" Inuyasha parroted back with much the same expression as before but with a more puzzled frown this time.  
  
"Yes. Kagome must help you this time." Lina said as she motioned for Kagome to get up and come towards her. "You two need to learn to share your power anyway." Lina continued.  
  
At this, Inuyasha allowed his frown to melt away as a just plain puzzled look took up residence as Kagome came to his side.  
  
"The tetsusaiga is a weapon that has a source for its powers. Although some of its power is in the blade itself, an even greater deal of it depends on the wielder of the sword. If you and Kagome were to learn to share and amplify your powers. You would both benefit from it." Lina said as she held their attention and explained with a simple smile.  
  
"And how do we do that Lina?" Inuyasha asked in an impatient tone as he sheathed the tetsusaiga and shared a look with Kagome.  
  
"You will have to come with me and find out for yourselves." Lina said as she put two fingers in her mouth and let out a short whistle that carried well in the crisp morning air.  
  
Kagome noted the clanging sound stop as she turned around and watched Joseph stop the downward progression of Sesshomaru's sword. Astonishingly with his thumb and index finger of his left hand as he lowered the gleaming blade of his left to it's sheath.  
  
"Ok. You are going now, but you didn't have to do that you know." Joseph grumbled from his vantage point in the practice field as he scowled at Lina and wiggled a finger into his right ear after letting go of Sesshomaru's sword.  
  
Only to scowl for a brief moment at the incredulous looks from Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, over the fact that he had stopped an incredibly sharp, alarmingly powerful, and quite deadly sword, as if he were stopping a leaf.  
  
Inuyasha shook his head as Joseph barked out a simple "What?" before he turned and followed behind Kagome as they went towards the clearing around the smaller lodge.  
A short time later~~  
  
"Now Inuyasha, Kagome, I thought we were going to train and act like adults about this." Lina said with a small lift of her lips a few minutes later at the far end of the clearing on the far side of Lina's lodge, far from the site of prying eyes.  
  
"Adults? You expect us to take your announcement that the first step in a easy way to learn to share our powers is to get striped bare to the waist and put a hand over each other's hearts, and you want us to act like adults?" Inuyasha stated incredulously from his red faced, sitting position in front of her, beside an equally red Kagome.  
  
"Yes that is just what I mean." Lina said patiently as she fought an evil smile. "So. Do you two need a moment to yourselves to get ready?" Lina questioned. "You could wrap up in a blanket, the two of you. If you prefer." Lina said with raised brows.  
  
Fierce scowl, firmly in place, Inuyasha tried for a short time to stare Lina down before pouting and turning to Kagome. "Do you want to do this?" He questioned softly.  
  
Kagome looked at Lina and then Inuyasha for a moment before looking at the ground and after a brief, redder flush, admitted what she thought. "I would only do this with Inuyasha, you understand, and only with the blanket you are suggesting."  
  
Lina briefly smiled wide and grandmotherly as she stood and went towards the lodge they were behind. "I will be right back."  
  
Kagome looked up briefly and noted the pleased look in Inuyasha's eyes. As he playfully ran a finger along her closest ear before whispering to her. "It had better only be with me."  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped out as she returned her gaze to the ground before one of his clawed hands lifted her head and turned it, before he bestowed on her a sweet kiss.  
  
"Thank you for doing this with me." Inuyasha said as he moved her head back but only enough to where she could barely feel the movement of his lips against hers.  
  
"Now, now children, you need to learn to focus. Keep the hanky panky down to a minimum please." Lina's voice echoed as she came around the corner of the lodge with a bright red blanket, roughly fifteen feet square, draped to almost dragging, over Lina's arms.  
  
Breaking apart with still flushed faces, Inuyasha and Kagome had little time before Lina threw the blanket at them, thusly tarping them to the ground.  
  
"Comfy in there?" Lina asked jovially as she took up her position in front of them again, as they struggled half heartedly to get out.  
  
Getting out from under the huge blanket, Inuyasha scowled briefly at Lina before helping Kagome out.  
  
Leaning forward, Lina raised her brows as she asked her next question. "Ready to get naked kids?" Before grinning madly.  
  
Inuyasha gaped at her.  
  
Kagome reburied herself under the blanket.  
  
"Ok, since Kagome seems to get the idea. She can be first." Lina said as she leaned back.  
  
"Lina!" Kagome's muffled exclamation came back before muttering could be heard.  
  
After a short while and to Inuyasha's widening eyes, Kagome's uniform top and bra came out from under the blanket with a soft splat.  
  
Inuyasha turned his rather widened gaze onto his evilly grinning grandmother, before allowing his jaw to drop.  
  
"Your turn Inuyasha." Lina said as she grinned back at him.  
  
"I'd do it soon, before she loses her nerve." Lina continued after a short period and the amusing need to close his jaw for him.  
  
This accomplished and a light tap on his jaw, brought Inuyasha back to reality. Looking reluctantly at Lina, he made a circular motion with a clawed finger, and watched as Lina hissed out a breath and turned around.  
  
Keeping a good eye on her the whole time, Inuyasha disrobed and in a quick move, lifted the blanket and with closed eyes, settled down under it with Kagome.  
  
Sensing that it was now ok. Lina turned around and looked at the lumpy red blob in front of her. "Is everyone comfy?" She asked, as grumbles were her answer.  
  
"Since this is the first time you two have done this. I will let you get comfortable with doing this first before I teach you the harder stuff. Can you hear me in there?" Lina asked from her seated position as both lumps nodded.  
  
"Good. I will just give you the instructions, then leave you here to do them in peace since this is a exercise between only the two of you." Lina further explained.  
  
"When you are comfortable. Place your right hand over the other's heart and close your eyes. After doing this, focus on their heartbeat and their smell, or anything else about the other you would like to connect with. After a few times of this, I want you to be able to absorb as much about your partner as you can and try to 'feel' them. After a while you will be able to connect." Lina said as she rose from the ground and stood beside the red lump on the ground.  
  
"Give it time also. Each couple takes a different degree of connecting before they feel the connection. You will know when it happens." Lina said as she patted the tops of both lumps. Grinning evilly she called out the last part as she left. "You never know. it might even take getting completely naked a few times before you connect."  
  
Light footsteps could only be heard a short time later, and then no footsteps as the two were left in the clearing, beneath the blanket. 


	34. Connected lemon two inukag

Ha. Finally Inuyasha gets some. Lemon content all around. Hope you like it. Review, Review, Review. Does he need help with his technique?  
  
Chapter 34) Connected Inu/Kag  
  
Kagome opened her eyes as she heard the last of Lina's footsteps retreat.  
  
Looking across from her at the dimly red-lighted figure of Inuyasha, she had to smile.  
  
Eyes tightly closed and breathing shallow, Inuyasha had the dearest hurt puppy look on his face, as if dreading what she would do to him.  
  
Sighing and letting her arms drop from their position covering her breasts, Kagome let her hands lightly touch the ends of her knees, where they touched Inuyasha.  
  
Feeling a light touch on his now hypersensitive skin, through his pants, Inuyasha cautiously opened his eyes and caught his breath at the sight before him.  
  
In the dusky light, Inuyasha could clearly make out Kagome, a very half naked Kagome.  
  
"Kagome." Inuyasha breathed out as Kagome bit her lip and allowed her hands to travel up Inuyasha's knees and further up his thighs.  
  
"She said smell and anything else, didn't she Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered out as her hands traveled up to his hips and glided until she hit hard bare flesh at his stomach.  
  
"Kagome." Inuyasha moaned out as her hands rubbed across the sensitive skin along his stomach a few times before up and down his chest a few leisurely times. Although after her fingers accidentally rubbed over his now sensitive nipples for the third time, he couldn't control his hands any longer.  
  
"MMMMMmmmm Inuyasha." Kagome moaned out an answering plea as Inuyasha's hands palmed her breasts before his fingers played with the dusky nipples at the tips.  
  
Panting, Inuyasha could only ask breathlessly to Kagome before continuing his tactile familiarization of the girl before him. "I'm connecting, aren't I?"  
  
"Mmmmmm connecting.. Right." Kagome murmured as she closed her eyes to savor the sensations as she breathed in only the heady, warmed scent that was only Inuyasha. Shifting in the grass beneath her, Kagome scooted closer to her hanyou as he kneaded her soft flesh.  
  
Leaning forward, Inuyasha lowered his head and caught her lips in a drugging kiss.  
  
Deepening the kiss, Inuyasha savored the feeling as Kagome opened her mouth to let him search her moist interior.  
  
Moaning deeply, Inuyasha could barely think as he droned in Kagome's feel, scent and taste. Even the sounds she made as he explored the sensitive top cavern of her mouth, were adding to all the senses in play.  
  
Feeling the need to get closer, Inuyasha let his hands glide down and under Kagome's butt, before lifting her into his lap. Letting his hands wander, Inuyasha's palms went under her skirt and pushed her lightly against the hardness between her parted knees, as she straddled him.  
  
Releasing her mouth after her heartfelt moan, Inuyasha nip/kissed down her throat until he ended up at her right breast.  
  
Opening his mouth, Inuyasha allowed his teeth to graze the skin lightly before pulling her nipple into the hot, liquid expanse of his mouth, before sucking deeply.  
  
Moaning, Kagome ran her fingers through Inuyasha's hair in wild abandon before running her hands over his ears in reverent gentleness. As she rubbed his ear with her left hand, her right dropped to rub against his sensitive stomach. The combination, had Inuyasha moaning against her breast before switching sides and tweaking the lonely nipple as his hands dropped to pass over her stomach as well.  
  
By coincidence, just chance, or fate, Inuyasha's right hand edged up between her breasts to settle down over her heart at the exact moment that Kagome's right hand lifted over his in a caress.  
  
Upon contact, the two pulsed sharply and felt the other's desire clearly.  
  
Gasping, Inuyasha nipped at Kagome's breast as he rubbed against her and felt the throbbing pulse of the pleasure she felt, almost as strong as she felt it herself.  
  
Feeling up for some experimentation herself, Kagome licked her way up one of Inuyasha's sensitive ears and as he shivered under the action of her nibbling on one, Kagome felt the pulse of pleasure back, adding to her own arousal.  
  
Letting the furry appendage go from its moist capture, Kagome breathed hotly into the ear, watching it shiver. "I like this connecting."  
  
Letting go of her breast now, Inuyasha lifted his head and twirled both nipples before breathlessly answering before kissing her again. "Me too."  
  
Several minutes passes as the two explored each other's mouths and came up for air when they had to, since they were enjoying sharing the pleasure the kiss produced.  
  
Panting heavily, Inuyasha warned Kagome breathlessly as he nuzzled her nape as she fondled his ears. "Kagome. We need to stop, unless you want to be my mate."  
  
Breathlessly, Kagome slid her hands down his head until she could grasp him and raise his head until she could look into his golden eyes. "Yes I will." She said with conviction.  
  
"Are you sure?" Inuyasha had to ask as he searched her face for any sign of hesitancy.  
  
"I've waited two years for this." Kagome told him with conviction before kissing him on the nose briefly in a purely affectionate way.  
  
Smiling widely, Inuyasha brought her closer and caught her lips for a drugging kiss.  
  
After a short while they broke apart to gaze into each other's eyes. Consciously making an effort to not move his right hand, so as to keep the connection. Inuyasha used his left and unzipped Kagome's skirt.  
  
Knowing his intent, Kagome scooted off his lap, as Inuyasha moaned at the sensation, while keeping her hand to his chest. Wiggling out of it and her panties, before watching Inuyasha as he untied the cumbersome knots on his pants.  
  
Sighing in relief at the release of the pressure on him, Inuyasha shucked his pants off, to kneel in all his naked glory before his intended mate.  
  
Almost by mutual consent, both Inuyasha and Kagome's free hands, gravitated towards the interesting flesh that had been uncovered.  
  
At the first touch, against his most sensitive area, Inuyasha could only whimper as his fingers encountered the moist cavern that he was fighting his instincts to not forcibly enter right now.  
  
Shivering hard and releasing a ragged breath, Inuyasha allowed only a few moments of exploration for Kagome before he had to stop her, since her sweaty hands rubbing up and down his shaft had put a sharp edge on his desire.  
  
Rubbing herself against him, Kagome could only gasp out a plea as she helped them down onto the soft grass, since the shared sensations they both were producing had put her to the edge as well. "Come to me now Inuyasha."  
  
"Yes." Inuyasha breathed out as he followed her down and they akwardly positioned themselves with their hands over each other's hearts.  
  
Feeling the moist entrance against the tip of his pulsing staff, Inuyasha had to grit his teeth against the forcible need to plunge into her.  
  
Feeling his increasable need, Kagome did the only thing she felt was needed at the moment. Bowing up a bit, Kagome allowed her left hand to travel down the sweaty muscles of Inuyasha's side to glide up over his hip, to grasp his but and with a strength she didn't know she could muster with only one hand, pushed him down hard.  
  
Gasping at the sudden feel of being inside Kagome, all the way to the hilt. Inuyasha shuddered at the echoed feel of pain and pleasure from his new mate.  
  
After a relatively short time, Inuyasha felt Kagome's relaxation and building impatience before moving out of her and plunging back into her waiting warmth.  
  
Unknown to the two, with each plunge and moaning cry for more, the couple pulsed with suppressed power.  
  
"Harder Inuyasha." Kagome moaned beneath the hanyou as he closed his eyes and sped up the pleasure and made a conscious effort to drag against her with each entry, since that seemed to pleasure her the most.  
  
Sweat dripped from his forehead and into her hair as his moist and sweat slickened ears shuddered with each new shared sensation as the pleasure between the two seemed to pull taunt on an invisible thread between the two.  
  
Speeding up a little more, Inuyasha lowered himself as close as he could get to Kagome, with their hands between them as he kissed her.  
  
Feeling the odd string of pressure pull as taunt as possible, Kagome pushed hard with her left palm that was still on his butt and ran it up his back to clasp it into his damp hair.  
  
Feeling a strange urge, Kagome lowered his head into the crick of her neck before nuzzling his neck urgently. As he bowed over and they both felt the invisible string. Kagome opened her mouth wide as her canines lengthened to sharp points. Biting down hard on the next hard down stroke, Kagome captured the back of Inuyasha's neck somehow and the invisible thread broke.  
  
Convulsing hard with a violent release, Inuyasha could only moan thickly over Kagome's shoulder at the pleasure that he felt. Added to that the feel of connection and moist pressure on the back of his neck, and Inuyasha was one happy puppy.  
A short distance away at the main lodge~~  
  
Lina looked up and smiled at the deep pulse of energy that rushed through the ground.  
  
Focusing on the sparring match before her again, Lina was kind of glad that Sesshomaru had been airborne at the time of the energy pulse.  
  
Joseph circled Sesshomaru around so that he could share a look with his mate in understanding before raising his hand to call a halt to the match.  
  
"It is about time for lunch. Lets go in for an hour break." Joseph suggested as he sheathed his sword and came over to Lina, to help her up and off the bench.  
  
Letting go of his hand, Lina shooed the two ahead of her with the excuse of letting down the barrier that she had constructed almost an hour ago.  
  
Looking over and feeling satisfied at the fact that Joseph and Sesshomaru were both now inside the lodge. Lina wasn't surprised at the even deeper pulse of energy that happened at least ten minutes later. As she repositioned the sundial, to it's correct location.  
  
Shaking her head and smiling to herself, Lina made a mental note to keep the two bothersome males busy for the rest of the day.  
  
Although Inuyasha would miss his ramen, Lina had a sneaky suspicion that he wouldn't miss it that much.  
  
At least now that both of the pair was now marked. Inuyasha and Kagome would be better connected now. It was customary for the first pairing in their family, to take a while. Lina wasn't expecting the pair to come out of their red cocoon anytime soon.  
  
Heading off, Lina finally entered the main lodge with a contented sigh. 


	35. Announcement

Hey all,  
  
Just so you all know i am SO!!! sorry that it has been so long since I have checked in with you all.  
  
In case you are wondering this isn't really my update. So much has gone wrong with my computer lately that I was so close to chunking it.  
  
First my ISP pulled out so I had to switch providers. When I loaded the software it conflicted horribly and as a result my poor abused computer crashed and showed the "blue screen of death".  
  
For those who do not understand the signifigance of this... picture rewriting a 34 chapter story entirely and editing it to perfection over the course of a week. Also add to that the additon of an additonal ten chapters and various other storys.  
  
Now let your computer lose all that data and every song fic you have Peer to peered.  
  
Decidedly I have been mopping for a week. So you will have to give me a little time to redo what I had so gloriously concocted for you my loyal readers.  
  
I know...... I should have backed it all up, but I wasn't expecting a crash of such proportions. It was so bad that my hubby had to format all of my C and D drives. I lost at least ten Gigs of songs and my stuff.  
  
Sorry all for the inconveniences and my little pitty party. Hopefully I will be back up and running in a week. I won't have my lovely chapters back but at least expect an update.  
  
Love to all of you who have been checking back faithfully.  
  
~~~Dreambraider~~~ 


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